🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Winners Crowned in Glitzy Grand Final This report details the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Moment Strictly 2025 victors are crowned Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to win the glitterball trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "overwhelmed". It was an heartfelt night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts. Presenters Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and sheer happiness" had been at the heart of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. As usual, one of the dances in the final show was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the competition, and the other was a freestyle routine. The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu performed routines including a show dance to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an Argentine Tango to 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. They also performed a sports-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, garnering them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to step onto the dance floor in the final. But the winning duo faced strong rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage. The couple delivered routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive to 'Proud Mary'. In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their dramatic dance to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese 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. "I just want to say thank you to everybody that has backed our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the young people watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Influencer 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 cast of 2025 returning for one more performance. However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative rejected the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total fairness". The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final. The Hosts' Last Final A photo from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they said their goodbyes. During the televised event, as well as the message 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: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a shared endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, compassion and pure happiness you have radiated with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
This report details the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Moment Strictly 2025 victors are crowned Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to win the glitterball trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "overwhelmed". It was an heartfelt night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts. Presenters Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and sheer happiness" had been at the heart of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. As usual, one of the dances in the final show was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the competition, and the other was a freestyle routine. The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu performed routines including a show dance to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an Argentine Tango to 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. They also performed a sports-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, garnering them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to step onto the dance floor in the final. But the winning duo faced strong rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage. The couple delivered routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive to 'Proud Mary'. In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their dramatic dance to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese 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. "I just want to say thank you to everybody that has backed our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the young people watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Influencer 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 cast of 2025 returning for one more performance. However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative rejected the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total fairness". The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final. The Hosts' Last Final A photo from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they said their goodbyes. During the televised event, as well as the message 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: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a shared endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, compassion and pure happiness you have radiated with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.