A ‘Survivor’ favorite just teased ‘DWTS’ Season 34 appearance with a cryptic response: ‘I cannot...’
It seems like 'Survivor' legend Rob Mariano is ready to groove on the 'Dancing With The Stars' stage! For the unversed, Mariano has previously competed on several reality shows including 'Survivor: Marquesas', 'Survivor: All-Stars', 'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains', 'Survivor: Redemption Island', 'Deal or No Deal Island', and 'The Traitors.' In a conversation with Access Hollywood at the Kentucky Derby over the weekend, Mariano made a sneaky comment that sparked rumors about him starring in the upcoming season 34 of 'DWTS'. When Mariano was asked whether he would be joining the cast of the popular dance show, Mariano cheekily replied, "I cannot confirm or deny anything," as per Parade magazine.
If Mariano competes on 'Dancing With The Stars' Season 34, then he will become the first contestant from 'Survivor' to showcase his dancing skills on the ABC dance competition. In the last couple of years, the network has been more keen on casting celebrities from fan-favorite dating shows like 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette.' In addition to this, the show also leans towards athletes and celebrities who recently made headlines.
Fans of the show will have to wait to see whether Mariano will join the cast of 'DWTS.' However, one contestant has been officially confirmed. In April 2025, Australian conservationist and zookeeper Robert Irwin was announced as the first celebrity competitor for the forthcoming season of the dance show. As per People magazine, while marking his attendance at Disney Entertainment Television's Get Real Event that took place on April 22, Irwin talked about participating on 'DWTS'. He said, "I cannot tell you what a privilege, what an honor it is to be joining this season."
Additionally, Robert also recalled how his elder sister, Bindi Irwin, who competed on 'DWTS' Season 21 in 2015 with pro dancer Derek Hough, inspired him to participate on the show. Ultimately, Bindi and Hough won the show. "I said, 'One day, that's gonna be me.' And now, that dream is a reality and I am over the moon. Let's do this!" Irwin told the crowd at the event, according to People magazine.
Following the big announcement, Robert, the son of late zookeeper and conservationist Steve Irwin, took to his Instagram page and expressed his happiness over joining the 'DWTS' family. "It’s official, I’m heading to Hollywood for Dancing With The Stars Season 34 🎉 This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid watching my sister’s incredible journey on the show back in 2016. I cannot believe it is about to become a reality. So grateful 🙌🏼," Robert captioned the post.
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Soon after, the fans flooded the comments section with numerous messages. One social media user wrote, "I'll be watching this season just for Robert." Followed by a second user who penned, "Oh you will be bloody awesome on the dance floor, Robert." Another netizen went on to say, "Well i guess i'll actually watch the show for once." A user commented, "Robert Irwin and a dance floor. This is gonna be good!!!"