🔗 Share this article Strictly Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Finale This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are declared Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first footballer to claim the coveted trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was paired with pro partner Carlos Gu, stated: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "lost for words". It was an emotional night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a message read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball 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 selected 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 final decision. Carney and Gu executed routines including a freestyle to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an Argentine 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 standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to take to the stage in the final. But the victorious duo faced fierce competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage. The couple performed routines including a show dance 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 Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their show dance 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 topped 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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority 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 elimination process that saw him exit the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure total fairness". The boyband 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 shock revelation that they would be leaving their roles 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 presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought 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 shared endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, care 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 show will be the Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.
This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are declared Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first footballer to claim the coveted trophy. She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was paired with pro partner Carlos Gu, stated: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before adding she was "lost for words". It was an emotional night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing In a message read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball 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 selected 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 final decision. Carney and Gu executed routines including a freestyle to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an Argentine 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 standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to take to the stage in the final. But the victorious duo faced fierce competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage. The couple performed routines including a show dance 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 Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their show dance 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 topped 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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority 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 elimination process that saw him exit the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure total fairness". The boyband 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 shock revelation that they would be leaving their roles 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 presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought 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 shared endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. "The kindness, care 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 show will be the Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.