Robert Irwin, the animal conservationist and television presenter, opened up about the unnecessary villainisation of his mother by the paparazzi. The 22-year-old explained how the media misinterpreted his feelings after being snapped with a ‘sad face.’ His family faced wrath for non-existent drama; in reality, he had just heard the unfortunate news of his pet chicken’s demise after 13 years.
Robert Irwin talks about ‘villainisation’ of his mother, Terri Irwin
Robert Irwin opened up about the media-family drama after he was photographed getting off the plane. During an interview with Stellar’s ‘Something To Talk About’ podcast, the zookeeper said, “Oh my God, I can’t even talk about Piggy. It makes me so emotional. She was so much more than a chicken. She was 13, and I got the text that she passed away,” while tearing up.Detailing what happened during the incident, Irwin recalled, “I got off the plane, and there was a bunch of cameras taking photos of me. I was absolutely cut up. I looked obviously very sad, and then the reports come out: ‘Oh, there’s a family rift between Robert and his sister,’ or ‘Robert’s mum is doing this…’ They always villainise Mum for some reason,” adding how the media framed the situation, “I’m like, dude, my pet chicken just died. Cool it, all right? Don’t start creating some sort of family drama.”
Robert Irwin talks about his love life
Furthermore, Robert opened up about how people are ever-curious about his relationship status. “If I’m walking on a sidewalk next to a female under the age of 30: yep, you’re engaged. We’re getting married. And I’m like, great,” he said. However, he has vowed to keep his love life distant from the camera. “I take the dating speculation and all of that. I’m like, ‘My personal life is personal. I’m not gonna get into all that,’” he explained.As for his professional life, Robert Irwin is currently hosting ‘Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro,’ which premiered on July 13, 2026.
