Robert Irwin has been spotted with a rumoured new girlfriend on the Gold Coast- and fans think she bears an uncanny resemblance to his mother, Terri.
The 22-year-old wildlife warrior was all smiles on Monday when he was snapped alongside 24-year-old American wildlife photographer Ashleigh Scully.
The pair were seen leaving a hotel parking garage, with reports suggesting they are both involved in filming a US Dancing With The Stars spin-off, The Next Pro.
It didn’t take long for fans to weigh in on the sighting, with many pointing out similarities between Scully- a 6’2 blonde bombshell- and Robert’s famous mother.
“That side profile, the chin and jaw, she looks like a young Terri!” one fan wrote online.
Another added: “Looks like his younger version of his mother.”
“No surprise that she resembles his mother,” a third penned, while another pointed to Ashleigh’s fringe- not dissimilar to Terri’s signature bangs: “Her hair is like Terri’s. Good start.”
While 61-year-old Terri hails from Eugene, Oregon, Ashleigh is originally from New Jersey and now lives in Jackson, Wyoming.
It appears Ashleigh may already have Terri’s tick of approval, with the mother-of-two regularly leaving supportive comments on the 24-year-old’s Instagram posts.
The pair’s connection reportedly dates back years, with Robert and Ashleigh first crossing paths as teenagers in 2015 through National Geographic’s youth platform.
They bonded over a shared passion for photography before eventually meeting in person.
Despite remaining “just friends” for more than a decade, multiple sources have told New Idea that their relationship has recently taken a romantic turn.
“They’ve always had a connection, but it’s really evolved,” one source told the outlet.
“This isn’t a new fling. This has been building for years.”
“They make a cute couple, and they are perfect for one another,” a source close to production on The Next Pro added.
A third insider said the pair’s bond is rooted in the very thing that first brought them together.
“Their love language is photography,” the source said.
“They express how they feel through the images they capture and share with each other.”
Aside from being an accomplished wildlife photographer, having won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (11-14 category) by the London Natural History Museum in 207, Ashleigh is also a high-level athlete.Â
She competed on the Texas Christian University (TCU) equestrian team, where she rose to become captain for the 2024–25 season.Â
Alongside her sporting commitments, Ashleigh completed both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in literature at the university.
Before being spotted together on the Gold Coast, Robert and Ashleigh were seen in February on a deep-sea diving expedition alongside Robert’s fellow Dancing With The Stars competitor Dylan Efron, the brother of actor Zac Efron.
Fans dubbed photos from the trip a “soft launch” of their relationship, as per the Courier Mail.
Meanwhile, some also noted Ashleigh bears similarities not only to Terri, but to Robert’s ex-girlfriend Rorie Buckley.
The former couple dated for just over a year before splitting in February 2024, though they are believed to have remained on good terms.
Since then, Robert’s star has continued to rise- from his conservation work at Australia Zoo to his 2025 Bonds underwear campaign, television hosting on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and his win on Dancing With The Stars US season 34 in November.
For now, however, the young star has only publicly declared his love for one companion.
“Love you, Stella!” he captioned a sweet selfie with his pug on Thursday.