Witney Carson Jokes About Robert Irwin’s Underwear Ads (Exclusive)

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson had a history before they were partnered for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.

Robert, 21, and the DWTS pro, 31, spoke to PEOPLE after the full DWTS season 34 cast was revealed on Good Morning America on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

During their chat, the pair acknowledged how they first met a decade ago when Robert’s older sister, Bindi Irwin, competed and won season 21 of DWTS in 2015. 

“Well, I’ve known Witney for 10 years. Technically, I first met Witney only briefly, but when I was like a little tiny kid,” he explains, noting that when he learned Witney would be his partner, he was “just so stoked.”

“When I say I was over the moon, and to be honest, like the first feeling I got opening the door and seeing you standing there was just like this sense of like, I just felt just like protected,” he says. “I just felt really safe. It’s just nice.”

Witney also reveled in the news that she was partnered with Robert.

“I honestly couldn’t stop hugging him,” she recalls. “I was just so excited because of the same thing. He’s just a little kid and now, like, I’m a mom.”

“I just feel like a sense of responsibility, kind of even though you’re grown,” she says before cheekily referencing his underwear campaign with Bonds. “I’ve seen the underwear ads, so I understand you’re grown!”

In April, Robert collaborated with Bonds for its “Made for Down Under” campaign in promotion of the Australian underwear brand before its launch in the United States.

In the images, he appears nearly nude, modeling with venomous snakes and spiders.

Weeks following the campaign, fans and Robert’s family were surprised by the steamy shoot.

He previously said during a Monday, May 5 appearance on the Today show, that his family “had a lot of words” after seeing the photoshoot. “They were like, ‘Wow, there’s some things we can’t unsee,’ ” he joked.

Though they were taken aback by his photoshoot, Robert tells PEOPLE his family have been nothing but supportive of his upcoming DWTS appearance.

“They made the big 12-hour flight, everyone came over, and honestly, like as soon as we made the announcement, they were like, ‘Let’s go, like let’s go over there,’” he says of the family coming from Australia to Los Angeles to support him on DWTS. “My family are my biggest supporters.” 

“I’m so grateful to have them in my life, and I, at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing, you gotta keep the people that you love around you,” he says. 

The conservationist remarks on what it’s like to follow in his sister’s footsteps, explaining that it’s “so special” to have the family supporting him. “I’m just so stoked, mate. This is so cool.”

As for any wise words from Bindi, Robert says she’s told him to “make it your own and just enjoy [it] because it’s so fleeting.”

“It goes by so fast. She was there the whole way. I mean, she was there the entire show and won, and, and she still said it felt like a blink. But, she described it as the closest you can come to flying, you’re representing everything about you in dance,” he explains.

“It’s just such a unique experience,” he continues. “So she said just enjoy, so that’s what I’m gonna try and do and also try and just lock in. This is hard, there’s a lot going on and we haven’t even done the first one yet.”

In addition to Robert and Witney, the season 34 cast features a roster full of talent.

Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Jordan Chiles and partner Ezra Sosa, The Traitors and social media star Dylan Efron and pro Daniella Karagach, Boy Meets World alum Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov, and Pentatonix singer Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold will also be facing off in the ballroom.

Also competing on season 34 is The Parent Trap actress Elaine Hendrix with Alan Bersten, NBA All-Star Baron Davis with partner Britt Stewart, actor and musician Corey Feldman with pro Jenna Johnson, Fifth Harmony singer Lauren Jauregui with partner Brandon Armstrong, and comedian Andy Richter with pro Emma Slater.

Rounding out the cast are social media star Alix Earle with pro Val Chmerkovskiy, Hilaria Baldwin with partner Gleb Savchenko and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt with DWTS‘ newest pro Jan Ravnik and Mark Ballas, respectively.

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Dancing with the Stars season 34 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and simulcast on Disney+. The show streams the next day on Hulu