‘It’s something that I think about at any milestone in my life’: Robert Irwin on furthering his father’s legacy
When Robert Irwin signed on to co-host the 2024 season of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, he made one important stipulation before agreeing to the job: no more eating wildlife organs.
For the uninitiated, earlier seasons often had contestants bravely chomping through tiger testicles or some unsavory snack as part of a squeamish challenge. But no more.
Although it’s a small change — the eating challenges did continue, with “sustainably farmed animals” — it’s part of a conservation continuum that began with his father’s groundbreaking work.
“I have a message that’s behind everything I do,” Irwin told Mumbrella, “something I believe in so much, which is of course, being an advocate for our natural world, and for the next generation to stand up to the important issues that are facing the planet.”
This was behind his decision to jump into the co-hosting role, despite admitting to feeling out of his natural element cracking wise alongside one of the country’s most celebrated comedian, Julia Morris.
“If I can find a new way to do that [advocacy] then I’m going to jump at that opportunity.”
This year’s advocacy work was particularly successful, Irwin is up for the Gold Logie, Australian television’s most feted award. At the age of 20, he is one of the youngest competitors for the award in history.
Although he comes from a family of high-achievers (and television stars), he was unprepared for the gravity of how his mother Terri dealt with his Logie nomination.
“When I got this nomination, and I told my mum about it – you kind of expect the ‘woo’, cheers and party, ‘that’s great!’,” he recalls.
“But Mum actually sat me down, very seriously, and we just talked about what it meant, and how Dad would have reacted to it – which kind of took me by surprise, and meant a lot.
“It’s something that I think about at any milestone in my life. I always wish that he was there for that.”
Irwin feels this reaction isn’t uncommon for someone who loses a parent early; he was three months shy of his third birthday when Steve Irwin was tragically killed.
“I think when you lose someone that was so intrinsic to the early beginnings of your life, it just naturally happens – where every milestone you just go, ‘I wonder what this person would have thought of it,'” he reasons.
“So with Mum, we just started sharing stories, and it was very, very meaningful for myself, for what I try and do: to continue his mission, I appreciate that greatly.
“So the reaction from the family was actually very, very special – and meant a lot.”
Vote for Robert Irwin for the Gold Logie.
The Logie Awards will be broadcast on Channel 7 on August 18, with Sam Pang hosting, and a slew of presenters including Kate Ritchie, Rachel Griffiths, Deborah Mailman, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor, Claudia Karvan, Costa Georgiadis, Matt Shirvington, and many others.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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