Bonds
Behold Robert Irwin, the new face – and body – of Bonds’ Made for Down Under campaign.
The 21-year-old son of the late Steve Irwin has caused a stir due to the very sexy nature of his foray into modelling, leaving millennials and Gen Xers feeling their age.
Comedian Nikki Osborne joked that there were “a lot of confused middle-aged women” taking stock of the campaign shots. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d see Bob Irwin was a snack. Little Bob got sexy and not even I know how to process this information,” the 43-year-old said.
“Not me looking at Steve’s son like this,” one excited fan commented on social media, while others wrote, “Robert,I feel like I shouldn’t be seeing this,” and “There are at least eight abs I can count there,” in response to the snaps of Irwin holding a giant python wearing no more than a pair of briefs. Even Today host Sarah Abo, 39, joked about Irwin’s “python” live on air: “It is quite long, isn’t it?”
Given the wholesome star’s fame in the US, it’s not surprising Bonds chose Irwin to help expand the brand in that market. He told People magazine he didn’t hesitate when Bonds approached him. “It was a pretty immediate yes. I’m at this point in my life where I’m trying to do as many different and random exciting things, and if it’s something that makes me a little bit nervous, that I’ve never done before and it’s a bit of an adrenaline rush? That’s what I want to be doing,” he said.
There’s no doubt the conservationist has broadened his career credentials in recent years. He just wrapped his second season as co-host of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! alongside Julia Morris and is an avid photographer. But at the heart of it, he will always be a nature-lover, whatever form it takes. “I’ve gotten to find my own individual ways of doing that, and sometimes that comes in the form of modelling Bonds!” he continued to People. “It seems so out of the ordinary for what I would do, but I get to be with Aussie wildlife, I get to approach a new audience, a new platform, and get my message out there to more people.”
Along with all the attention there have been questions about whether Irwin is currently seeing anyone. “I’m so open to that, but I’m just waiting for the stars to align,” he admitted, saying it’s likely he might follow the lead of his late father and his sister, Bindi, when it comes to choosing a partner.
“In both instances, there were American tourists that were coming over and visiting the zoo. So I’m waiting. I’m waiting for that American tourist to come into the zoo and for it all to happen!”
