DWTS’ Robert Irwin Shares Update on “Painful” Rib Injury After Finale

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Robert Irwin is waltzing out of the ballroom with a trophy and an injury.

The winner of Dancing With the Stars season 34, along with his partner Witney Carson, let fans know he’s recovering after hurting his rib near the end of the show. He admitted the injury was still bothering him, though.

He said on Good Morning America on November 26th that progress was being made, even though it was difficult. He added, ‘No pain, no gain.’

The 21-year-old praised his professional partner for simplifying their complex dance routine.

Witney was great at adapting the choreography when we needed to, which was often. Our final freestyle dance was a way to show our gratitude to everyone who had supported us throughout the competition.

Besides, the wildlife conservationist noted that he’s used to putting his body through the ringer.

“I’ll heal up, mate,” he quipped. “I catch crocs, I’m used to it.”

During the November 25th finale of Dancing with the Stars, Robert explained that he started feeling pain during rehearsals, and it didn’t let up.

He explained in a video that he’s been experiencing increasing rib pain due to tight muscles between his ribs. He said the pain has been gradually worsening.

Despite facing hardship, Robert Irwin still won this year’s Mirrorball trophy, following in the footsteps of his sister, Bindi Irwin, who won the competition a decade ago. He was sure to emphasize that his win was a team effort, acknowledging the strong partnership he shared with his dance partner.

After the live finale, he told Will Marfuggi from TopMob News that Witney truly deserved the win. He praised her dedication, ability to juggle many commitments, and inspirational qualities, saying she’s a role model for him and countless others.

Love Dancing With the Stars? Find out how the show is made – read on to learn about what happens behind the scenes!

In 2019, Variety reported that contestants on Dancing With the Stars initially make $125,000 for rehearsals and the first two weeks of the show. According to sources, they then earn additional money each week they continue competing, potentially reaching a maximum of $295,000.

However, Bobby Bones said he made more than this when he won season 27 with Sharna Burgess in 2018.

The radio host explained on Jason Tartick’s podcast, Trading Secrets, in September 2025 that the show’s pay structure was unusual. They didn’t earn anything for the first episode, then $10,000 for the second. After that, the pay increased to around $10,000, $10,000, $20,000, and $20,000 per episode. If someone stayed with the show long enough, they could eventually earn $50,000 an episode.

In addition to a salary of about $110,000, Bones revealed he earned nearly $400,000 from the show.

ABC has not publicly confirmed any of these figures.

Details about professional dancers’ earnings haven’t been widely released either. However, like the contestants, it appears their pay increases the further they advance on the show.

But even if a pro is eliminated in the first round, they’re not leaving the ballroom empty-handed.

Jenna Johnson explained on the June 2025 episode of the podcast The Morning After, hosted by Kelly Stafford and Hank Winchester, that dancers are typically guaranteed work for a specific number of weeks. However, she added that contracts vary and she couldn’t comment on everyone’s situation.

Apparently not.

Professional dancers on Dancing with the Stars, like Jenna Johnson, don’t earn extra money for winning the show—even though the trophy is now named after the late Len Goodman. Johnson, who has won twice with partners Adam Rippon and Joey Graziadei, says making it to the final rounds is still rewarding, beyond just the prestige of winning.

She explained on The Morning After that reaching the finale means you receive full-season pay plus a bonus. However, winning isn’t about a large cash prize; it’s just a shared trophy for the winning couple.

That doesn’t appear to be the case.

In a 2022 appearance on Trading Secrets, Lindsay Arnold shared that her pay was reduced by more than half after she moved from being a professional dancer to a troupe member.

The pros get little input when it comes to being matched with a celebrity.

Lindsay explained on the May 2025 episode of Maggie Sellers’ podcast, Hot Smart Rich, that people in these situations have no input. She described it as simply being told, ‘Here’s your partner, now you need to make the relationship work.’

In fact, Jenna said the pairing is often a secret until the last minute.

Jenna explained on The Morning After that the show aims to keep the cast a complete surprise until the live reveal. Many assume the producers know who’s paired up and are just keeping it quiet, but that’s not the case. The producers deliberately don’t tell anyone – not even the hosts – who’s on the cast list. While leaks sometimes happen, they prefer to keep everything under wraps until the contestants meet their partners.

As for what the Dancing With the Stars team looks for when making these matches?

According to former showrunner Rob Wade, the show’s pairings weren’t random. In a 2015 interview with TopMob News, he explained that they considered height, body type, personality, and how well people would get along. They avoided putting incompatible people together, as the experience was already very demanding for everyone involved – the celebrities, the production team, and the audience. Wade admitted they’d made that mistake before, and it resulted in an unpleasant experience for all. Unlike shows like The Bachelor, they didn’t want to create pairings that were destined to fail.

Dancing With the Stars demands a huge time commitment. Rylee Arnold, who partnered with Stephen Nedoroscik in season 33, explained on the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis that rehearsals typically last four hours, happening either from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. But the work doesn’t end there; she often spends additional time meeting with producers, working on choreography, or studying dance routines.

Arnold says her entire life revolves around the show, but she wouldn’t have it any other way, as it’s her passion. It’s a job that requires dedication every single day. The schedule is relentless: Tuesdays are show days, followed by rehearsals from Wednesday to Sunday. Mondays are dedicated to camera blocking, and then the cycle starts again with another show on Tuesday.

Emma Slater and Britt Stewart confirmed in a September 2025 Instagram video that they’re mostly on board, but it’s a project they’re working on with the show’s producers.

If you think the quickstep is fast-paced, you should see how quickly the costume department works! Costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner explained to TV Insider that they collaborate with set, lighting, and dance teams to create a unique story for each dancer’s outfit. Then, they have only five days – just half a day per costume, before even adding rhinestones – to actually make everything. The department employs around 20 people, plus an external tailor shop, making it a large operation.

Steven Norman Lee, another costume designer, revealed that dancers often don’t try on their costumes until just hours before the show. While some basic pieces might be reused for male dancers, most costumes are custom-made each week.

As Gschwendtner added, they’ll reuse items for group performances or promotional shoots, but never for the competition itself. They strive to keep each dancer looking fresh and new every week to maintain visual interest.

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2025-11-26 22:47