🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Finale This report details the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event. Watch: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are crowned Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly champion, becoming the first footballer to lift the coveted trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "lost for words". It was an emotional night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the long-running hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a message read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the heart of the show's success, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed dances including a show dance to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an tango to 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. They also performed a football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, garnering them a standing ovation - and their second perfect score of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the victorious pair faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage. The couple performed routines including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Spanish-inspired dance to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive to 'Proud Mary'. In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their show dance to 'Human' by The Killers, and a classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "been transformative," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to repeat their favourite dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance. Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure total fairness". The group Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the grand final. The Hosts' Last Final A photo from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season. Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having fronted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the happiness shared in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all. "The kindness, compassion and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which is broadcast on 25 December.
This report details the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event. Watch: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are crowned Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly champion, becoming the first footballer to lift the coveted trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "lost for words". It was an emotional night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the long-running hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a message read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the heart of the show's success, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed dances including a show dance to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an tango to 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. They also performed a football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, garnering them a standing ovation - and their second perfect score of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the victorious pair faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage. The couple performed routines including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Spanish-inspired dance to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive to 'Proud Mary'. In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their show dance to 'Human' by The Killers, and a classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "been transformative," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to repeat their favourite dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance. Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure total fairness". The group Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the grand final. The Hosts' Last Final A photo from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season. Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having fronted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the happiness shared in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all. "The kindness, compassion and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which is broadcast on 25 December.