Strictly Come Dancing Winners Announced in Glitzy Live Final
This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event.
Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, emerging as 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 live final.
Carney, who was paired with pro partner Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "overwhelmed".
It was an poignant night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts.
In a message read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and sheer joy" had been at the core of the show's success, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".
As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale 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 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 perfect score of the night.
But the winning pair faced fierce rivalry from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor.
The couple performed 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 salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the public vote.
"I just want to say thank you to everybody that has backed our experience, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "been transformative," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up."
Other highlights on the night included the majority of the contestants 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 rigged.
A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale.
The Hosts' Final 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 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 last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were overcome with feeling as they signed off.
During the televised event, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook 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 challenges overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a shared challenge.
"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all.
"The warmth, compassion and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's last ever appearance will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
