Strictly Winners Crowned in Glitzy Grand Finale
This report details the outcome of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy.
She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the audience vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "speechless".
It was an heartfelt night in the ballroom, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with the Queen among those offering praise to the veteran hosts.
In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".
Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public made the ultimate choice.
Carney and Gu executed routines 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, earning them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night.
But the victorious pair faced stiff rivalry from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the stage.
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 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the public vote.
"I just want to say thank you 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, aim high and be confident and never give up."
Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more performance.
Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair.
A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure total accuracy".
The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale.
The Hosts' Last Final
Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock revelation that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series.
Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their final time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they signed off.
During the televised event, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees of the show.
The Queen's message said: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the bonds created, the struggles overcome and the joy experienced in undertaking a joint challenge.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.
"The kindness, care and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which is broadcast on 25 December.
