🔗 Share this article Strictly Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Finale This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final. Watch: Moment Strictly Come Dancing 2025 victors are declared Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "lost for words". It was an heartfelt 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. Presenters Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their soccer-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, and the other was a freestyle routine. The judges gave advisory scores but the viewing audience made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed dances including a freestyle to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an 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 first couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the victorious pair faced strong rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. The pair delivered 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 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 topped the public vote. "I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more routine. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was rigged. A spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete accuracy". The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale. The Hosts' Last Show An image from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has hosted since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their last 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 crew and devotees 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 joy experienced in undertaking a shared challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, care and pure joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's appeal." Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final. Watch: Moment Strictly Come Dancing 2025 victors are declared Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "lost for words". It was an heartfelt 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. Presenters Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their soccer-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, and the other was a freestyle routine. The judges gave advisory scores but the viewing audience made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed dances including a freestyle to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an 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 first couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the victorious pair faced strong rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. The pair delivered 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 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 topped the public vote. "I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more routine. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was rigged. A spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete accuracy". The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale. The Hosts' Last Show An image from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has hosted since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their last 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 crew and devotees 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 joy experienced in undertaking a shared challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, care and pure joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's appeal." Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.