Strictly Winners Announced in Glitzy Live Final
This piece covers the outcome of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final.
Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy.
She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's grand finale.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "lost for words".
It was an heartfelt night in the studio, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts.
In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and sheer happiness" had been at the heart of the show's success, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant".
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 viewing audience made the ultimate choice.
Carney and Gu executed routines 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, earning them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night.
But the victorious pair faced fierce competition from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage.
The couple 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'.
In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle.
They also did their freestyle routine 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 won the public vote.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "been transformative," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be proud and never give up."
Other memorable moments 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 claimed earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair.
A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure complete accuracy".
The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the grand final.
The Hosts' Last Final
Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement 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 fronted Strictly's sister show 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 tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew 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 connections created, the struggles overcome and the happiness shared in undertaking a joint challenge.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.
"The warmth, compassion 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 appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
