Behind Bindi Irwin’s happy-go-lucky attitude fans get to see on social media, is the drama of her relationship with her grandfather, Bob Irwin.
Bindi Irwin is the daughter of the famous late wildlife expert Steve Irwin and the family is known to be closely knit. A few months ago, fans got a wind of drama that brewed between Bindi and her extended family.
In the past, there have been speculations on the state of Bindi’s relationship with her grandfather and the Australian Zoo pioneer, Bob Irwin. However, all came to light after she levied some allegations against the octogenarian. Here’s everything to know about the Irwin family feud.
Bindi’s Estranged Relationship With Bob
On Father’s Day, the “Dancing With The Stars” star took to her social media page where she addressed a pleasant message to the men in her life. The 24-year-old wrote sweetly about her father, husband, and father-in-law.
Noticeably, she left out her famous grandpa Bob. This prompted a fan to inquire about her relationship with the conservationist. Bindi replied with a lengthy message as she wrote of the rift in the family.
The “Return To Nim’s Island” star shared that for years her grandfather has refused to talk to or be in contact with her family. She claimed that she would often send him gifts and he would return them, unwrapped.
She added that she was ignored each time she reached out to Bob. This started when Bindi was a child and according to her, he had never said “kind” words to her. Bindi added that her mom, Terri Irwin continues to send gifts to Bob.
Bindi’s lengthy address also showed that she and her family had been in charge of Bob’s finances since 1992. She ended by saying how much she had struggled with their relationship all her life and had to take care of her mental health.
Family Members Responded
Not long after Bindi expressed herself on Instagram, a family member fired back at her. The criticism was issued by another of the patriarch’s grandchildren, Bethany Wheeler.
Wheeler’s stepmother Mandy is Bob’s daughter, and the young lady had a message contrary to Bindi’s. She described Bob as “one of the most genuinely beautiful humans on this planet” who had never put anyone down.
Amanda French, who is a family friend and also the writer of Bob’s autobiography, condemned Bindi for calling her grandfather out. She claimed that Bindi’s accusations were an assassination of character.
Bob did not publicly respond to the drama and back and forths. The last time he and Bindi’s side of the family were seen together was in 2007 during his late son, Steve Irwin’s memorial.
Bob’s Feud With Terri
Steve Irwin passed away in 2006, and 18 months later, his wife and father had a fallout. It was reported that the rift was caused by their difference of opinion.
Everything boiled down to the management of their Australia Zoo and Bob thought it was over-commercialized. He and Terri did not reach a consensus and this prompted him to leave the Zoo.
Although Australia Zoo shared a statement at the time claiming that Bob chose to retire, he had a different opinion. He once shared that he often had a different idea from how the establishment was run, and no one listened to him.
