Robert Irwin & Witney Carson's Dancing with the Stars finale rehearsal takes a painful turn

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson’s Dancing with the Stars finale preparations took an unexpected turn this week after a rehearsal accident left Carson with a minor injury.

In clips posted by Irwin and Carson on Instagram, the Dancing with the Stars pair showed what went wrong when Carson ended up missing some hair during a freestyle move before the Season 34 finale.

The event sparked worry in audiences, since people quickly took notice when the video spread through various online networks.

Dancing with the Stars: Finale rehearsal takes an unexpected turn

In the hours before the finale, Irwin posted a rehearsal update, writing “Freestyle incoming” alongside an image featuring himself, Carson, and members of the Dancing with the Stars troupe practicing together.

In a subsequent clip, Carson was shown stepping away from the dance floor and placing part of her hair onto the judges’ table. Irwin later posted:

“Soooo…accidentally tore Witney’s hair out during a trick in our freestyle rehearsal.”

Carson then shared multiple frames displaying the hair in question. In one image, she captioned,

“Well this happened,” adding: “And yes that’s my real hair ripped out of my scalp.”

A separate slide showed a close-up alongside her message:

“Blood, sweat, and hair went in to this freestyle.”

Carson reassured supporters by appearing physically uninjured in the footage.

The hair mishap marks another intense moment in this season’s Dancing with the Stars lineup - freestyle routines usually involve tricky mid-air moves, one lifting the other, yet sudden shifts in direction keep things risky.

Fans on Reddit reposted the rehearsal clips and compared the incident to previous injuries this season.

One user reacted by placing the moment alongside another Freestyle mishap earlier in the competition, writing,

“At this to the list with Dylan’s broken nose.”

Other commenters speculated about the routine Irwin and Carson are preparing, with users describing the expected freestyle as “wild” and “insane.”

Carson continued engaging with viewers online by sharing more rehearsal footage, including clips of the pair working through choreography and practicing lifts.

In one Instagram Story, Carson wrote, “Showing Robert how to be lifted,” offering a preview of the stunt-based approach they appear to be incorporating ahead of their final performance.

The finale marks the culmination of Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars, a season that has included former Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, TikTok creator Alix Earle, actor Elaine Hendrix, and contestant Dylan Efron.

During the season, Irwin and Carson advanced week to week as judging scores and viewer votes combined to determine placement.

Their freestyle routine will be their final competitive performance before voting closes.

Carson has competed in multiple Dancing with the Stars finales during her tenure and previously received the Mirrorball Trophy as a professional.

Irwin, known primarily for his work in wildlife conservation and television, is attempting to earn his first finale win.

Practice clips posted during the week showed extended run-throughs - sometimes together, sometimes apart from the group - hinting at heavy prep before the last show.

Dancing with the Stars improv numbers usually push limits - mixing different moves, using gear, plus tricky steps that can go sideways fast.

Each one layers surprises, swapping smooth flow for raw daring now and then.

Fans can expect flips, spins, or lifts tossed into salsa or jazz without warning.

Risk runs high because there’s no room for hesitation once the music kicks in.

Carson and Irwin have not announced further changes to their planned routine following the accident.

Both continued rehearsals and social media previews following the incident, signaling they intend to perform as scheduled.

As of press time, the pair remains confirmed to dance in the finale.

Viewers can watch the performance during the Dancing with the Stars Season 34 live finale on Tuesday, November 25, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with streaming available on Disney+.

Stay tuned for more updates.