‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 21 welcomes Bindi Irwin as a celebrity contestant for this 2015 fall season. (Photo : Dancing With The Stars/Facebook Page)
Bindi Irwin, the daughter of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, is the first celebrity contestant revealed to be joining the cast of "Dancing With The Stars" Season 21, which is set to premiere in September.
Bindi, 17, announced on Aug. 24 that she will compete on the upcoming fall season of ABC's hit reality dance competition. In an interview with "Good Morning America," the wildlife conservationist described her upcoming stint as "completely different to anything I have ever done in my life," considering that she is "used to wrangling crocodiles."
While she has spent most of her years handling and interacting with wild animals, Bindi admitted she felt quite nervous about joining the TV dance show. She described the "Dancing With The Stars" judges as knowledgeable and supreme athletes, and that they "scare me more than crocodiles."
However, Bindi said she is thrilled to be part of the show's fall season. On the "DWTS" official Facebook page, where she was welcomed as the first star of the new season, the teenage Aussie was quoted as saying that her participation "will be a completely new adventure for me, and I'm excited to share my journey."
"I'm in love with this city and ready to fall in love with the music and dance to come," Bindi added.
Bindi is the daughter of popular wildlife expert and TV host Steve Irwin, a.k.a The Crocodile Hunter, who was killed by a stingray in 2006 while filming for a documentary. Since her father's death, the younger Irwin has remained in the spotlight continuing her parents' work in wildlife conservation.
As most of her career revolves around animals, Bindi expressed hopes that her dance partner on "DWTS" Season 21 will be someone who "is very patient and likes animals." "You never know what I'm going to bring to rehearsal," she added.
The names of stars that will compete against Bindi are expected to be announced within the next two weeks. The full lineup of pro dancers this season, which includes former mirror ball champs Derek Hough and Karina Smirnoff, was revealed on Aug.19, Wednesday on "Good Morning America."
"Dancing With The Stars" season 21 premieres on Sept. 14 on ABC.
