🔗 Share this article Strictly Champions Announced in Glitzy Grand Final This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event. View: Scene Strictly 2025 winners are crowned Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the coveted trophy. She overcame reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest privilege," before adding 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. Hosts 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 sheer joy" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful". 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 preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave advisory scores but the viewing audience 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 sports-inspired 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 victorious pair faced strong competition from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage. The couple performed routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble 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 classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of tangos, 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 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 confident and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more routine. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy". The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the finale. The Hosts' Last Final An image from the emotional final hosting by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series. Daly has presented since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they said their goodbyes. During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew and fans 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 relationships: the connections created, the challenges conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a shared challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, compassion and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event. View: Scene Strictly 2025 winners are crowned Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the coveted trophy. She overcame reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest privilege," before adding 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. Hosts 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 sheer joy" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful". 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 preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave advisory scores but the viewing audience 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 sports-inspired 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 victorious pair faced strong competition from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage. The couple performed routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble 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 classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of tangos, 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 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 confident and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more routine. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy". The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the finale. The Hosts' Last Final An image from the emotional final hosting by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series. Daly has presented since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they said their goodbyes. During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew and fans 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 relationships: the connections created, the challenges conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a shared challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, compassion and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.