NEW YORK, May 10, 2026, 13:08 (EDT)
- Robert Irwin said a 14-foot crocodile he named Jimmy Fallon pinned and rolled him during conservation research.
- The account gives Irwin another U.S. TV moment after his “Dancing with the Stars” win and before an ABC spinoff.
- He said he escaped unharmed, but the story puts the risk of hands-on wildlife work back in view.
Robert Irwin said he was pinned beneath a 14-foot crocodile he had named Jimmy Fallon, telling NBC’s “The Tonight Show” that the animal rolled him during field research and then rolled back, letting him get free. Fox News reported the account Sunday, citing Irwin’s recent appearance with Fallon. Fox News
This is not just another celebrity couch story. Irwin, 22, has moved from conservation programming into mainstream U.S. entertainment, and the clip landed as ABC prepares to make him host of “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro” this summer. ABC News
The shift matters for the Irwin brand. A family wildlife mission that once ran through animal television is now also moving through late-night clips, reality competition shows and streaming-linked franchises.
PEOPLE reported that Irwin gave the account on the May 5 episode of “The Tonight Show.” He said he named the crocodile years ago, when it was young, and that it had grown into what he called a “boss croc.” People
Irwin said the work was part of crocodile conservation research and that the method, which he credited to his father, Steve Irwin, involved jumping on wild crocodiles to study them. The line played with humor on Fallon’s set, but the mechanics were not small.
He said he got onto the animal and it “death-rolled” him. A death roll is a rapid spinning move crocodilians use to tear prey, fight or escape; University of Tennessee researcher Stephanie Drumheller-Horton said a 2019 study found the behavior in 24 of 25 living crocodilian species tested. Phys
Irwin said he ended up under the reptile with one arm out and about 700 pounds pressing down. He recalled thinking, “What do I do?” before the crocodile rolled the other way and he got out unharmed. WEAR2
The television context is useful. ABC has said “The Next Pro” will premiere July 13, 2026, with 12 up-and-coming dancers competing for a professional spot on Season 35 of “Dancing with the Stars.” ABC
That puts Irwin beside high-profile dance-world figures Mark Ballas and Shirley Ballas, who will judge the spinoff. It also gives ABC and Hulu a host whose appeal runs beyond ballroom fans, into wildlife, family legacy and social-video attention.
But the risk is plain: a dangerous crocodile encounter can look casual when cut into late-night patter. The safe read is narrower — this was a professional conservationist recounting fieldwork that went wrong, not advice for the public.
For Irwin, the upside is also clear. The crocodile story gave him a sharp, shareable moment in a crowded entertainment week, while keeping his core message — conservation, and the hazards around it — at the center.
