Robert Irwin admits he’s in a “scary place” after his stripped down photoshoot went viral online.

Courtesy of Bonds Australia

The year of Robert Irwin is off to a steamy start! With a spot on Dancing With The Stars locked in and a viral underwear photoshoot that has the internet going wild, Irwin has found a whole new level of fame.

While Irwin hopes his widened fanbase will be interested in his conversationalist message, he admits that the newfound attention has put him in a “scary place” — especially when it comes to his Instagram account.

“I’m in a scary place right now,” Irwin recently confessed to Us Weekly. “I’ve been kinda sorta avoiding the direct message section for a little bit.”

He continued, “The last couple months have been very eye-opening, that’s for sure. And I really thought in modeling Bonds underwear or doing Dancing With the Stars, that sort of thing, I could bring in a whole new audience to listen to my conservation message.”

While Irwin is admittedly “nervous” for his role on DWTS, he’s excited for the opportunities it will bring and the chance to share his mission with the world.

“When we made the announcement for Dancing With the Stars, I had a snake right there with me. That’s how I feel comfortable. That’s who I am,” he said. “It’s all about this mission and I’ve got a real sense of purpose and passion. I got to achieve that.”

Irwin added that he feels “really lucky” that he has a “whole new audience” that he can reach with his message of “positivity” and living life at 100 percent. Going forward, he hopes that his fans will follow in his footsteps to step outside of their comfort zones.

“If you’re taking on something new that makes you a little nervous, you’re a little bit unsure, that’s OK,” he explained. “You just got to give it your all. And you’ve got to try as hard as you can to have a bit of fun.”

You can watch Irwin on Dancing With The Stars this fall on ABC.