🔗 Share this article Strictly Winners Crowned in Glitzy Grand Final This piece covers the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final. View: Scene Strictly 2025 winners are crowned Former Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first footballer to win the glitterball trophy. She defeated reality TV star Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the audience vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest privilege," before adding she was "speechless". It was an heartfelt night in the studio, 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. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a message presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "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 football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was chosen 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 ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed routines 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 rapturous reception - and their second perfect score of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the winning pair faced stiff competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. 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 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. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "been transformative," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their favourite dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other memorable moments on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more routine. Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A spokesperson denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy". The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final. The Hosts' Final Final An image from the historic final hosting by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season. Daly has hosted 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 overcome with feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans 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 bonds created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, care and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
This piece covers the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final. View: Scene Strictly 2025 winners are crowned Former Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first footballer to win the glitterball trophy. She defeated reality TV star Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the audience vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest privilege," before adding she was "speechless". It was an heartfelt night in the studio, 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. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a message presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "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 football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was chosen 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 ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed routines 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 rapturous reception - and their second perfect score of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the winning pair faced stiff competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. 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 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. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "been transformative," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their favourite dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other memorable moments on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more routine. Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A spokesperson denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy". The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final. The Hosts' Final Final An image from the historic final hosting by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season. Daly has hosted 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 overcome with feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans 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 bonds created, the struggles overcome and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, care and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.