Robert Irwin has faced down snakes, crocodiles and some of Australia’s most dangerous wildlife, but it was a piece of confetti that nearly proved his undoing on American television this week.
The 21-year-old wildlife conservationist had a frightening moment during the November 4th episode of Dancing with the Stars, when he inhaled confetti during a group dance performance and temporarily couldn’t breathe.
“I almost died tonight,” Irwin told Entertainment Tonight after the show. “I choked on a piece of confetti after the team dance. Legit.”
The incident occurred during Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night, when Irwin and his professional partner Witney Carson were performing as part of “Team Kool” in a lively group number set to Kool & the Gang’s hit “Celebration”. As the routine concluded with Irwin sliding dramatically across the dance floor, confetti rained down from above.
Irwin explained that he inhaled a piece of the confetti and couldn’t breathe, desperately trying to signal to Carson what was happening. Fortunately, he managed to dislodge the confetti himself with a cough before the situation became more serious.
Carson, who was completely unaware of her partner’s distress at the time, said she would have shielded him from the confetti had she known. “I didn’t even know that was happening,” she said.
The near-miss didn’t derail the pair’s evening. They went on to deliver a passionate Paso Doble to The White Stripes’ “Icky Thump”, earning two perfect 10s from judges Bruno Tonioli and special guest Flavor Flav, plus nines from Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough. Combined with their group dance scores, they finished the night with 76 out of 80 points.
Online, fans expressed relief mixed with bemusement at the incident. “The man works with crocodiles and confetti almost took him out,” one viewer commented, while others called for television productions to switch to edible or biodegradable confetti for safety reasons.
Irwin is currently competing in the show’s 34th season, following in the footsteps of his sister Bindi, who won the mirrorball trophy in 2015. He’s described his goal on the programme as spreading “passion and positivity” and telling important stories through dance.
The young Queenslander remains in the competition and will perform a foxtrot next week when the show celebrates its 20th anniversary with former host Tom Bergeron returning as a guest judge.
