🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Winners Announced in Glitzy Live Final This report details the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Moment Strictly 2025 victors are crowned Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the viewers' vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "It's unbelievable, it's been the greatest privilege," before adding she was "overwhelmed". It was an emotional night in the ballroom, 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. 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 pure joy" 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 standing ovation. Following tradition, 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 advisory scores but the public made the final decision. Carney and Gu performed 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 full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to take to the dance floor in the final. But the winning duo faced stiff rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. The pair performed 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 freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese Waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "My sincere thanks go 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, dream big and be proud and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to repeat their signature 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. However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair. A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure total fairness". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the grand final. The Hosts' Last Final An image from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has hosted since the first 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 overcome with emotion as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees of the show. The Queen's message said: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the bonds created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, care and sheer happiness you have radiated 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 championship. View: Moment Strictly 2025 victors are crowned Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the viewers' vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "It's unbelievable, it's been the greatest privilege," before adding she was "overwhelmed". It was an emotional night in the ballroom, 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. 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 pure joy" 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 standing ovation. Following tradition, 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 advisory scores but the public made the final decision. Carney and Gu performed 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 full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to take to the dance floor in the final. But the winning duo faced stiff rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. The pair performed 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 freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese Waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "My sincere thanks go 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, dream big and be proud and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to repeat their signature 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. However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair. A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure total fairness". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the grand final. The Hosts' Last Final An image from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has hosted since the first 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 overcome with emotion as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees of the show. The Queen's message said: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the bonds created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, care and sheer happiness you have radiated 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.