In a tightly contested and emotional Season 34 finale, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and professional partner Witney Carson were crowned champions of Dancing with the Stars, taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. The victory, announced following three rounds of competition on the live finale, marks a high point in a season that tested contestants’ technique, stamina and creativity.
A photo-finish finale
The November 25 finale featured five remaining couples who each performed three times: a Judges’ Choice routine, the Instant Dance challenge (performed minutes after learning the style and song), and a no-holds-barred Freestyle. Judges’ scores were combined with an enormous viewer vote total — outlets reported roughly 72 million votes cast for the finale — to determine the winner. Despite finishing one point behind on the judges’ leaderboard, Irwin and Carson secured enough viewer support to claim first place.
According to reports, Irwin and Carson scored 89 out of a possible 90 from the judges across their routines, while frontrunner Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy finished the night with a perfect 90 on the judges’ board before the public vote shifted the result.
Standings and performances
Final standings for Season 34 were reported as:
Robert Irwin & Witney Carson — WinnersAlix Earle & Val Chmerkovskiy — Runner-up
Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa — Third place
Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach — Fourth place
Highlights from the finale included Irwin’s Quickstep (judged as technically strong despite a rib injury he sustained in rehearsal), multiple perfect 30s during the Instant Dance round, and emotional moments featuring Irwin dedicating his performances to his late father, Steve Irwin. Season 33 champions Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson also returned to perform during the evening.
The win in context
Robert Irwin’s victory adds a second Mirrorball to his family’s history on the series: his sister, Bindi Irwin, previously won her season in 2015. For Witney Carson, the title marks a second Mirrorball Trophy after earlier success on the show. The finale was widely described as one of the closest and most-voted in recent DWTS history.
Source links
People — Dancing with the Stars Season 34 winner (People).
https://people.com/dancing-with-the-stars-season-34-winner-11857022
Entertainment Weekly — DWTS Season 34 finale recap.
https://ew.com/dancing-with-the-stars-season-34-winner-revealed-11856374https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/26/robert-irwin-wins-dancing-with-the-stars
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/Dancing-with-the-Stars-season-34-finale-127879227
https://www.thewrap.com/dancing-with-the-stars-season-34-winner-robert-irwin/
https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tv/dwts-season-34-robert-irwin-wins-len-goodman-mirrorball-trophy-after-pushing-through-rib-injury-101764130953273.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/dancing-with-the-stars-finale-live-updates-b2872213.html
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