Strictly Come Dancing Winners Announced in Spectacular Grand Final
This report details the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final.
Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy.
She overcame reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star 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 biggest honour," before saying she was "overwhelmed".
It was an emotional night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the last time - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts.
In a note read out by judge 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 wonderful".
Following tradition, 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 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, earning them a rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night.
But the winning pair faced strong competition from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage.
The pair performed routines including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'.
In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr revisited their dramatic dance to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle.
They also did their show dance to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese 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.
"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," commenting: "To the young people 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 routine.
However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair.
A spokesperson rejected 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 grand final.
The Hosts' Last Final
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation 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 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 feeling as they said their goodbyes.
During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew and devotees of the show.
The Queen's message read: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a shared challenge.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all.
"The kindness, care and pure joy you have radiated with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success."
Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.
