🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Winners Crowned in Glitzy Live Finale This piece covers the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship. View: Moment Strictly 2025 winners are declared Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, remarked: "It's unbelievable, it's been the greatest privilege," before saying she was "speechless". 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 veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship 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 grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the public 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 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 stage in the final. But the winning duo faced stiff competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace 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 upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'. Meanwhile, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their Paso Doble 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 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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more performance. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative denied the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure complete fairness". The group Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale. The Hosts' Last Show An image from the historic final hosting by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's season. Daly has presented 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 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 recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew and devotees of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections forged, the struggles conquered and the joy experienced in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all. "The warmth, compassion and sheer happiness you have radiated 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 airs on 25 December.
This piece covers the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship. View: Moment Strictly 2025 winners are declared Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, remarked: "It's unbelievable, it's been the greatest privilege," before saying she was "speechless". 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 veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship 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 grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the public 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 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 stage in the final. But the winning duo faced stiff competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace 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 upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'. Meanwhile, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their Paso Doble 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 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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more performance. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative denied the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure complete fairness". The group Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale. The Hosts' Last Show An image from the historic final hosting by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's season. Daly has presented 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 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 recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew and devotees of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections forged, the struggles conquered and the joy experienced in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all. "The warmth, compassion and sheer happiness you have radiated 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 airs on 25 December.