When Robert Irwin joined Season 34 of Dancing With The Stars, he knew that he'd have big shoes to fill. That's because his elder sister, Bindi, previously competed on the reality TV show and ended up winning the entire season with her partner Derek Hough.
So far, Robert and his dance pro partner Witney Carson have been the clear frontrunners of their season, largely thanks to the support that Robert's gotten not just from fans, but also his family members, who have remained close by his side throughout his dance journey. The past two weeks, however, Bindi has been mysteriously absent, and now she's come out to clear the air.
Bindi Revealed Her Family Had Fallen Ill
Bindi's family consists of her husband, Chandler Powell, and her young daughter, Grace. While Bindi has been trying to be there in person to cheer on her little brother, fans noticed that she was absent from the sidelines for the past two weeks.
To set the record straight, Bindi posted an update on her personal Instagram page where she explained that her family had been battling the same virus—which meant they'd have to support Robert from the couch instead:
Still, Bindi encouraged fans to keep supporting her brother in the competition. At the end of her caption, she added, "Text ROBERT to 21523 or abc.com. Voting BEGINS: 8pm ET / 7p CT / 5p PT – Don’t forget voting starts early at 5pm for everyone on the west coast! ✨"
In the meantime, Robert and his partner Witney Carson seem like they have a good shot at going all the way in the competition. This past week, the pair performed a tango to the song "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" by The Hampton String Quartet, and to great results—when they stood before the judges, they were awarded 38 points out of 40, earning them the highest score of any performance so far this season.
Robert expressed his disbelief at the score on his own Instagram page. Beneath a video clip of their performance, the 21-year-old wrote, "I am still in disbelief after our first 10s for last night’s dance. Thank you @witneycarson for believing in me to take on our most challenging choreography yet… Witney and I have been working hard this week to create something powerful and intense, and I had SO much fun embracing a new side of myself on Halloween night."
"I’ve never been prouder to be part of #TeamIrWINit , and thank YOU for being on this journey with us. I am so grateful. I’ll always remember the Argentine tango! See you next week 🖤❤️," he added. Only time will tell if Robert and Witney will be the lucky duo to ultimately take home the mirrorball trophy for Season 34.
