Robert Irwin opens up about going from ‘Dancing with the Stars’ winner to ‘Next Pro’ host

Robert Irwin is back in the Dancing with the Stars universe as host of the upcoming spinoff, Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.

This time, instead of getting down on the ballroom floor, the season 34 winner will be guiding a new group of dancers as they vie for a spot as the next pro on the reality competition show.

At first glance, Irwin’s transition from zookeeper at Australia Zoo to dancer, reality show winner and now host may seem unorthodox, but Irwin told Good Morning America in an interview Wednesday that everything has fallen into place seamlessly.

“Going from contestant to host, first of all, I’m not getting judged, so that’s great. The other thing is, also, I feel like I can be, in some way, a bit of a mentor, because I’m obviously not the best dancer, but I had the best partner, I had Witney Carson,” Irwin said. “So, I know what it is to have a great pro partner teaching me … I can say to these hopefuls, ‘Hey, this is what it takes.'”

The Next Pro follows 12 emerging ballroom dancers as they progress through a multistep audition process.

“These aren’t celebrity contestants that have given [ballroom dancing] a go, these are the best in the industry, so it is hard,” Irwin said. “It is really, really hard.”

The winner of The Next Pro will earn a spot as a pro dancer on season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.

“We actually filmed The Next Pro right down the road from Australia Zoo,” Irwin explained. “Showing all of my dance family Australia Zoo, welcoming them in, I got them their own khaki uniforms — they’re in there cuddling koalas and wrangling crocodiles.”

As for the next DWTS season, Irwin said he’s looking forward to rooting for Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality Guillermo Rodriguez. He said he also caught up with new cast member Jackson Olson, the Savannah Bananas’ second baseman.

“I said, ‘Mate, the thing is, anyone who does this show, I say, you’ve got to lean in, you’ve got to let go, enjoy the process, trust your partner, and try to tell your story,'” Irwin said. “That’s what sets Dancing with the Stars apart. It’s so much more than dancing. We can tell a message.”

Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro premieres Monday on ABC and streams Tuesday on Hulu. 

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