Strictly Come Dancing Champions Crowned in Glitzy Grand Final

This report details the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event.

Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the coveted trophy.

She beat reality TV star Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's live final.

Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest privilege," before saying she was "lost for words".

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 offering praise to the veteran hosts.

In a note read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the heart of the show's success, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".

Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, and the other was a show dance.

The judges gave guidance scores but the viewing audience made the final decision.

Carney and Gu executed routines including a show dance to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an Argentine 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 perfect score 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 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 jive 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 freestyle routine 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.

"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our journey, and supported us," said Carney.

Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up."

Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more performance.

However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him exit the show was unfair.

A spokesperson denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure complete accuracy".

The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the finale.

The Hosts' Last Show

In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation 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 final time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they said their goodbyes.

During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees 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 forged, the challenges 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, compassion and sheer joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's appeal."

Daly and Winkleman's last ever appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.