HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / REALITY TV

‘American Idol’ judge fuels ‘DWTS’ rumors after surprise dance with fan-favorite contestant Robert Irwin

Could this pop singer be headed to the ‘DWTS’ stage? Her latest post with a beloved contestant has fans asking questions

'Dancing With the Stars' season 34 is creating ripples with its newly announced cast members. Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin remains one of the strong contenders to win this year's Mirrorball trophy. Irwin has been gaining a massive fan following, and now even celebrities are showcasing their support for the young wildlife enthusiast. Recently, Katy Perry surprised everyone by posting a set of photos and videos from her visit to the Australian Zoo. What was even more shocking is that she was seen performing a mock dance session with Irwin. 

The former 'American Idol' judge was seen sporting comfortable winter clothes. She looked chic in a grandma pattern sweater, washed-up blue jeans, a black turtle neck, and a furry brown beanie. Perry featured a variety of animals in a carousel of pictures and videos, and she was seen posing with a koala, rhino, giraffe, porcupine, wombat, feeding a kangaroo, a cucaktoo, and riding a fake alligator. Towards the last of the slide, she featured Irwin; the duo seemed to enjoy each other's company while performing a waltz. "I heard Robert Irwin was going to be on Dancing With the Stars. So I thought maybe we should do a practice round here at the Australian Zoo," she said in the clip. "Ok, that's good," Perry is seen reacting to their slow-motion steps. 

However, towards the end, Irwin decided to add some flair to their dance by dramatically letting go of Perry while giving her a dip, which caused her to tumble mockingly to the ground. Their banter was fodder for eager fans who have been waiting to watch the young rising star on the dance floor. "The cutest," a fan gushed. "Omg! These photos were beautiful!" an online user complimented. "So amazing!" a viewer commented. Irwin later thanked the pop star by resharing their photo on his Instagram story. "Thanks for stopping by @katyperry. We loved having you," he captioned the post. 

Irwin has been charming many A-listers and fans with his aura and physical attributes. The young wildlife conservationist recently posted a series of thirst trap pictures by going shirtless with a snake wrapped around his neck. The son of late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin posed for a set of racy pictures for Bonds, the Australian underwear brand, in April. "I wish I could say I was very suave and cool about the whole thing, but I was like, 'Yes! Let's do it!' Because Bonds in Australia is an absolute icon," he told People in an exclusive interview. Meanwhile, Irwin had earlier praised his sister Bindi for introducing the dancing bug in him. "So I am really leaning on all of her knowledge," he told Today during an interview.

"She’s given me a few tips already, but she never danced either," he said, referring to his sister being DWTS champion in 2015. "I'm definitely going to be leaning on my sister. My sister’s incredible," he said. "She’s such an inspiration. My greatest inspirations in life are my mum and my sister," he gushed while talking about family support. With Perry now joining the bandwagon in supporting the new 'DWTS' entrant, Irwin's journey looks promising in the ballroom.