Strictly Winners Announced in Glitzy Grand Finale
This article reveals the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the coveted trophy.
She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, remarked: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "speechless".
It was an emotional night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the long-running hosts.
In a note presented by judge 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, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful".
Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was chosen by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, and the other was a freestyle routine.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public made the final decision.
Carney and Gu executed dances including a freestyle 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 rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night.
But the winning duo faced stiff rivalry from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage.
The pair delivered dances 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 performed again their dramatic dance 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 tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they topped the public vote.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our experience, 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 proud and never give up."
Other highlights on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more routine.
Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was rigged.
A representative denied the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure complete fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale.
The Hosts' Last Show
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season.
Daly has presented since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board 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 emotion as they signed off.
During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook 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 friendships: the connections created, the challenges overcome and the joy experienced in undertaking a shared endeavour.
"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all.
"The warmth, care and sheer joy you have radiated with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.
