'I just can't get past the smell': Robert Irwin tries durian while in Singapore

Robert Irwin has no issues holding his own when faced with a wild rattlesnake.

But hand him a piece of durian and that's when he'll start trembling.

The conservationist and TV personality, who is the son of the late Steve Irwin, was recently in Singapore and took up the challenge of confronting the king of fruits.

He shared the experience on his social media channels on Wednesday (July 17), and it was clear that Robert was jittery from the get-go.

@robertirwin

Robert vs Durian…

♬ original sound - Robert Irwin

Robert headed to Durian 36, located in Geylang, for his first durian experience.

As the durian seller was dehusking the fruit, the 20-year-old did his best to play it cool, saying: "Yeah, it looks great."

Later on, he admitted to feeling "so nervous".

Robert knew that the fruit was "polarising" and being handed a pair of gloves to eat it did little to calm him down.

"Everyone either says it's great or it's literally the worst thing they've ever eaten," he said.

The Aussie attempted to provide context to the task at hand by reminding his viewers that durians are banned from trains in Singapore.

After picking up the fruit, he said: "I just can't get past the smell." 

It took him awhile to rise up to the task but eventually, Robert gave the durian a tiny bite and claimed it tasted "good".

However, his facial reaction did not match his one-word review and it wasn't long before he began coughing and wincing. 

"It's good, I like it," he said, as if trying to convince himself, before he eventually asked the videographer to stop filming. 

In the comments section, netizens giggled away at his experience, with many choosing not to believe his take on the fruit.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" a TikTok user cheekily asked.

Another commented: "The actions are not matching the words."

One netizen took the chance to stand up for the much-maligned fruit.

They mentioned that while durians have a distinct smell, it "doesn't actually smell bad".

Following the footsteps of his late father, Robert is known for his conservation and zookeeping work.

The Aussie is also an award-winning nature photographer who travels the world to raise awareness for the environment.

ALSO READ: 'We accept you now': American woman's first taste of durian in Singapore leaves locals impressed

amierul@asiaone.com

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