Robert Irwin is “getting there” with his rib injury.
The Australian TV conservationist, 21, won season 34 of Dancing with the Stars with his partner Witney Carson, though sustained an injury to his rib in the final stretch of the US ABC show.
However, Irwin has reassured fans he is on the road to recovery on Good Morning America.
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“We’re getting there. It’s painful, but no pain, no gain,” he told the US breakfast tv show.
“I’ll heal up, mate. I catch crocs, I’m used to it.”
Irwin – who is the son of Terri and the late Steve Irwin – heavily praised his partner Carson for her “amazing” work on Dancing with the Stars.
“Witney was amazing at changing up some of the moves that we had to do in there,” he said.
“We had to change on the fly, but our last dance, that freestyle, was a way to say thank you to everybody who’d been on that journey.”
Robert Irwin has reassured fans he;s on the road to recovery from Dancing with the Stars injury. Credit: AAP DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Finale”- Capping off a record-breaking season, the finale episode sees the five remaining couples competing for a chance at winning the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. TUESDAY, NOV. 25 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Eric McCandless) ROBERT IRWIN, WITNEY CARSON (Photo by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images) Eric McCandless Credit: Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images During the Dancing with the Stars finale, Irwin detailed how his injury began to set in when he was rehearsing for the show, admitting it had been “getting worse progressively”.
“I’ve been dealing with rib pain because the intercostal muscles of the ribs are under a lot of tension,” he said.
“It’s been getting worse progressively.”
Despite his injury, Irwin and Carson won the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy – an accolade previously won by his sister Bindi Irwin in 2015’s season 21.
Following his victory, Robert said “there is no one who deserves it more than Witney”.
“She gives everything. She balances so much. She is an absolute inspiration to me and to so many people.”
Irwin also said how his sister’s win was special as she used her victory to raise awareness and spread the message about their family’s charity Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors.
The Irwin’s make Dancing With the Stars history. Credit: Instagram/@bindisueirwin “It’s about making the world a better place. And when I watched her lift that Mirrorball, I saw her lifting that message,” he told People magazine.
Bindi has since congratulated her brother on his Dancing with the Stars win on Instagram.
“TWO MIRRORBALLS NOW CALL AUSTRALIA ZOO HOME!” she said on her social media.
“Congratulations and all the love in the world to @robertirwinphotography and @witneycarson. What. A. Night.”