‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 34: Robert Irwin, Witney Carson win the Mirrorball Trophy

Dancing with the Stars has crowned its new Mirrorball champions.

After a high-stakes season 34 finale, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and his partner Witney Carson won the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy after performing their final dance numbers.

Finalists also included Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy; Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach; Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa; and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten.

When asked by co-host Julianne Hough what winning DWTS meant to him, Irwin said, “My sister said it best: Thank you for changing my life.”

Robert’s sister Bindi Irwin won the trophy in 2015. On Instagram, she wrote, “Words can’t describe how proud I am of you. You EARNED this.”

Carson added, “I’m so grateful for Robert, and I feel like I won already with him as my friend.”

The final dances included one chosen by one of the judges, an “Instant Dance Challenge” for the ultimate test of improvisation and a freestyle round.

The winners of this season were determined by a combination of live viewer votes from the night, plus the scores from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. More than 72 million votes were cast, the show announced.

The finale kicked off with an electrifying dance number to “Never Can Say Goodbye” by The Communards.

It also saw the return of cast members over the season, including Lauren Jauregui, Andy Richter, Corey Feldman, Danielle Fishel, Hilaria Baldwin, Scott Hoying, Whitney Leavitt and Baron Davis.

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