The skies look gloomy for "Dancing with the Stars" favorite Bindi Irwin as her DWTS contract was rejected by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge because there's no proof that her dad, "The Crocodile Hunter" Steve Winter, is dead. Wait, what?
According to a report from TMZ, Bindi, 17, had a minor contract for "Dancing with the Stars" season 21. Lawyers of the show submitted her contract to a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court along with a form from her mother, Terri, stating that she will give up her rights on the money that Irwin will make while being a contestant on the show.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the judge also wanted the same release form from Bindi's father. E! Online notes that the judge denied her contract because Bindi is an Irwin and needs the release form from both her mother and father before she gets paid by ABC. Without proof that the late Steve Irwin has "irrevocably and perpetually" giving up his rights to her daughter's earnings from the show, "the court is unable to find that it is in the best interest of the minor to be bound by the terms of the contract," per New York Daily News.
A court source of the news outlet said that even if it is known that Steve Irwin has died, "All the paperwork has to be sufficient. Legally you have to have paperwork associated with the filing."
It can be remembered that Bindi's dad, the Australian wildlife expert and TV personality, died due to a stingray attack while filming his show in 2006, per E! Online.
BBC Worldwide Productions, producer of the ABC show "Dancing with the Stars," has already released a statement on Tuesday via The News.
“We are aware of the situation, and our legal team is in contact with the court to work it out," the company's spokeswoman said as quoted by New York Daily News.
If everything will be settled in the court, TMZ revealed that the contract gives the 17-year-old a guarantee of $125,000 and an additional $10,000 per week if she makes it to the third and fourth week of the competition. The star will get added fees of $15,000, $20,000 and $30,000 a week if she passes through weeks 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, respectively. And if she makes it to weeks 10 and 11, she will get an additional $50,000 a week.
Bindi has already made it through the eighth week of "Dancing with the Stars" season 21 in flying colors. This means that her total earning so far is $230,000, and will still increase as she pushes through the competition.
