Robert Irwin crowned winner of Dancing With the Stars season 34
The thrilling Season 34 finale of Dancing With the Stars provided one of the closest, most emotional endings in show history. Following an action-packed night which included three rounds of competitive dancing (Judges’ Choice, Instant Dance and Freestyle), Robert Irwin and his pro partner Witney Carson won the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
It was the 20th season of DWTS which meant it’s been pulling in record numbers. Final-round votes exceeded 72 million, an evident high level of fan participation when it came to the finalists. Irwin may have only been a single point off getting the highest score of the leader board, but was voted by fans as the winner.
Irwin consistently wowed us with his development and emotional storytelling. His final performances featured his wide range — high-energy choreography to polished ballroom moves — and he was an international favourite among viewers.
Scores, Standings and Highlights from Stage 1 results and standings: Friday Shanghai Dragons def.
The first five couples were way, way up across the board, and the final split as to who’d be in the bottom was much closer. The final positions were as follows:
- Winners: Robert Irwin and Witney Carson
- Runners-Up: Alix Earle & Val Chmerkovskiy
- Third place: Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa
- Fourth:Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach
- Alan Bersten, fifth place: Elaine Hendrix
The finale began with the Judges’ Choice round, in which Alix Earle’s and Val Chmerkovskiy’s spirited samba was awarded a perfect 30/30. Robert Irwin and Witney Carson scored 29/30 for their quickstep, also infused with sharp musicality and technical precision.
For their Instant Dance, Irwin performed one of his strongest dances to date, a spontaneous colorful cha-cha and earned himself a perfect score (30 out of 30).
The couple put on an electric and emotional performance during the Freestyle round to wrap up the night. Their last freestyle was also perfect at 30/30, bringing their tally of points to 89/90 — one point behind the leaders but more than enough to win when you have overwhelming viewer support.
Robert Irwin’s win was particularly special, adding another in a long line of family achievements in the entertainment industry. That’s that way MacDonald ‘danced’ throughout DWTS Season 34: with dedication, charm and steady, if lackluster improvement — qualities that clearly resonated deeply with judges and viewers. It will go down as one of the tightest and most emotional finals in Dancing With the Stars history.
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