Summary (tl;dr)

Robert Irwin and his professional partner Witney Carson have been crowned the champions of "Dancing with the Stars" Season 34, which recently concluded its live finale. Social media personality Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy finished as runners-up, amidst record-breaking viewer votes and an alleged vote-rigging controversy.

Essential Background

"Dancing with the Stars" is a popular American reality dance competition television series where celebrities are paired with professional dancers to perform various routines and compete for judges' scores and audience votes. The ultimate prize for the winning couple is the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. The show, which premiered in 2005, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with Season 34. Since Season 32 in 2023, the series has been hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough and airs live on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming available on Hulu.

The Full Story

Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and his professional partner Witney Carson were declared the winners of "Dancing with the Stars" Season 34 in a three-hour live finale that aired on November 25, 2025. Irwin, whose sister Bindi Irwin won Season 21 in 2015, continued a family legacy by taking home the Mirrorball Trophy. Social media personality Alix Earle and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy finished in second place, with Olympic artistic gymnast Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa placing third, reality television personality Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach finishing fourth, and actress Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten taking fifth.

The finale featured the top five couples performing a judges' choice dance, an Instant Dance, and a freestyle routine. The audience showed immense engagement, with co-host Julianne Hough announcing that the voting numbers for the season, and particularly the final top two, were among the highest in the show's history. Amidst the high viewership and intense competition, a controversy surrounding alleged vote rigging by fans of both Alix Earle and Robert Irwin emerged, with a TikTok user reportedly admitting to casting multiple fraudulent votes using fake email addresses. Robert Irwin's victory came despite suffering a rib injury in the days leading up to the finale, a detail his partner Witney Carson revealed in a TikTok video, highlighting their dedication.

Why It Matters

The intense interest in the "Dancing with the Stars" finale, the high voting numbers, and the engagement around popular contestants like Robert Irwin and Alix Earle highlight the continued cultural relevance and significant fan base of reality competition television. Robert Irwin's win not only extends his family's legacy on the show but also underscores the broad appeal of celebrity contestants and their journeys. The reported vote-rigging controversy, however, raises questions about the integrity of audience voting in such competitions and could prompt discussions on how shows ensure fairness in public polls. The sustained high viewership for Season 34, marking its 20th anniversary, also solidifies the show's enduring appeal in a competitive media landscape.

Geographic Location

• Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States (Production and live broadcast of Dancing with the Stars Season 34 finale)