A source close to the Irwin family has responded after bizarre rumours about Robert Irwin and Shawn Mendes took off like wildfire on social media.
ICYMI, the Aussie wildlife expert and Canadian pop star have been romantically (and baselessly) linked by scores of netizens in recent months, as AI-generated images of the pair have captured the hearts of users who (falsely) believe they are the next big It-couple.
Since there’s no evidence that Irwin and Mendes are an actual item, the speculation reads more like a fanfic for those who ship two impossibly attractive heartthrobs — but that hasn’t stopped the rumours from overrunning social media feeds since as far back as 2022.
How well do Shawn Mendes and Javier Bardem know Australian Salt Water Crocodiles? Robert Irwin puts them to the test! 🐊#LyleLyleCrocodile is coming to Event Cinemas Boxing Day, book your tickets NOW! – pic.twitter.com/Ylftx5YySv
— Event Cinemas (@event_cinemas) December 21, 2022
At that time, Irwin interviewed both Mendes and Javier Bardem during the press tour for Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, the animated film which the latter two stars both lent their voices to.
The interview sees Irwin passionately discuss his love of reptiles, and while it’s all innocent and innocuous enough, it led many viewers to point to a supposed romantic connection between Irwin and Mendes, with countless posts theorising the pair were a couple.
Now, a source close to the Irwin family has reacted to the speculation, telling the Daily Mail that the rumours have “been a whirlwind” for Robert.
“People are congratulating Robert on social media like it’s official, but he and Shawn are obviously just friends,” the insider confirmed.
The source went on to claim that while Mendes “always had fun with fans’ theories”, this particular rumour is a little too far-fetched to be indulged in — despite the efforts of a few (horny) shippers online.
“There’s clearly nothing going on romantically,” the source said.
While it all-but dashes the reality of all those fanfics, it’s not the first time Irwin has been at the centre of an internet-breaking moment.
Back in April, the I’m A Celebrity host was the subject of more (horny) fanfare when his underwear campaign for Bonds promptly sent the internet into a tizzy, to the point where even his mum, Terri Irwin, admitted all the attention was getting to be “a lot”.
At least in that case the images are not AI-generated, so fans can lust over the real deal rather than fabricating an Irwin and Mendes romance.
Better yet, why don’t we all log off for a while and go touch grass?
Lead image: Robert Irwin/Instagram and Shawn Mendes/Instagram
