A married father from Queensland has clinched the highly sought-after title of Australia's finest Robert Irwin lookalike. Ben Marshall, a resident of Caloundra, secured the crown and a $500 cash prize thanks to his remarkable similarity to the 22-year-old wildlife presenter.
Beachside Battle for the Best Impersonator
The unique competition took place on Saturday in Robert's hometown, with 30 eager contestants vying for victory on the sands of Kings Beach. Ben, who showcased his physique in an unbuttoned khaki shirt, revealed to the Today show that he is regularly mistaken for the real Robert Irwin by fans, an occurrence he has dealt with 'for years'.
'At least once every week or two, someone comes up to me and says, "You look like Robert." Some people ask, "Are you Robert?"' Ben explained. The Queenslander added that while he hasn't been asked for an autograph yet, he hopes that might change following his win.
A Tribute to Robert's Triumphant Return
The event was announced last week by Visit Sunshine Coast. Its chief executive, Matt Stoeckel, stated the aim was to celebrate Robert Irwin's return to Australia after his successful stint on Dancing with the Stars US. 'To welcome Robert Irwin home after six months, we had a bit of fun,' Stoeckel said.
He elaborated on the criteria for winning, noting: 'You had to own the crikey with confidence, you had to have that Robert Irwin physique and really be able to entertain the crowd with a bit of dance moves and some croc wrestling.'
Snakes, Dance Moves and a 'Classic' Reaction
During the contest, Ben launched into a spot-on impersonation, complete with a fake snake coiled around his neck. 'This snake here, this is a beautiful creature, this one. She's an absolute beauty mate!' he drawled in a thick Aussie accent. 'This thing will bite your head off, and I've just got her around my neck. I just do not care. Have a look at it!'
He also paid homage to Robert's ballroom success by showing off his own dance moves. 'I was up all night practising, so yeah, I'm glad I took out the win,' Ben admitted.
The real Robert Irwin found the whole event highly amusing, taking to social media to describe it as 'classic'. It caps a significant year for Robert, which included winning the US version of Dancing with the Stars and the upcoming premiere of a new season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! He continues to work at Australia Zoo, his family's conservation park in Queensland, upholding the legacy of his late father, Steve Irwin.
