The Irwin family have been targeted by cruel social media posts ahead of son Robert’s highly anticipated appearance in the final of American TV’s Dancing with the Stars.

Robert Irwin has wowed the long-running show’s US audience this season and is one of five celebrity participants in the final.

It airs in the US on Tuesday night (local time, Wednesday afternoon AEDT).

The son of the late “Crocodile Hunter”, Steve Irwin, gets his own finals’ appearance with partner, professional dancer Witney Carson, 10 years after big sister Bindi won the reality series.

The 21-year-old Robert had no dancing experience before the show. But he and Carson have notched up several perfect-10s throughout the series.

Two weeks ago, audiences were moved to tears by Irwin and Carson’s foxtrot to Leona Lewis’ Footprints in the Sand for the show’s 20th anniversary special. The routine was inspired by Bindi’s 2015 performance to the same song, which she dedicated to their late father.

But as Irwin and Carson prepped for their TV finale – and with his family, including Bindi, 27, and their mother Terri, in the US to support him – misleading claims have again spread online.

A rash of Facebook posts claims that Bindi and Terri are planning a wildlife empire in the US.

“Terri & Bindi Irwin SHOCK the World by Selling Off Their Entire Australian Property Portfolio to Move Stateside,” the caption reads.

Social media posts claim the Irwin family is quitting Australia.

But the Irwins have not sold their Australian property portfolio, which includes the popular Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast, or permanently moved to the US.

No member of the Irwin family has made any public announcement or comment about a move to the US or selling any local properties. Nor has the zoo made any announcements about the Irwins moving on.

In fact, there are no credible reports indicate the Irwins’ time in the US is intended to be permanent.

Robert Irwin has also recently been confirmed to return as the co-host of Network Ten’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! with Julia Morris in 2026.

It is not the first time the Irwins have been the subject of online misinformation. In October, dozens of fake AI-generated posts claimed that Bindi had collapsed and been rushed to hospital, unconscious and critically ill.

They used what appeared to be real images of her lying in a hospital bed.

“Robert Irwin, in tears, announced that his 27-year-old sister, Bindi Irwin, had suddenly collapsed and was taken to the hospital,” the post claimed.

A reverse image search revealed the images were screenshots from videos Bindi Irwin posted in March 2023 and May 2025 about her battle with endometriosis.

Other fake posts alleged Bindi had recently performed with Elton John at Australia Zoo to celebrate her father’s legacy, and also that she was suing Whoopi Goldberg for “vicious defamation”

“YOU MOCKED MY FAMILY,” a quote attributed to the Australian in the post reads.

There’s no evidence Irwin has filed a lawsuit in the US against the actor or that she’s announced any legal action. There’s also no record of the quotes attributed to her.

Touching pre-finals tribute

Meanwhile, Robert posted to Instagram on the weekend to pay tribute to Carson. Accompanying a video that showed their weekly training sessions, rehearsals and their standout performances in front of viewers and judges, he offering an emotional thanks.

“Entered this experience to live out a dream, but I’ll leave with another big sister,” he wrote.

“Dancing With the Stars has changed my life in a lot of ways. But being part of this experience with Witney has been my favourite part. We’ve made it to the finale, and it’s bittersweet … one last chance to dance.”

For the final, each couple will do three dances – a judges’ choice, an instant dance and and a freestyle routine.

Irwin and Carson will perform a quickstep to Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl? for the judges’ choice round. They will follow up with a freestyle to Black & Gold by Sam Sparro and The Nights by Avicii.

-with AAP