🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Winners Crowned in Spectacular Live Finale This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Scene Strictly 2025 victors are crowned Former England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly winner, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, remarked: "I can't believe it, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "lost for words". 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 veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's popularity, 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 soccer-inspired 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 favourite 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 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 sports-inspired 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 step onto the dance floor in the final. But the winning duo faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. The couple performed routines including a show dance 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 performed again their Paso Doble 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 supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "been transformative," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be proud and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale. Tess and Claudia's Final Final A photo from the historic final presentation 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 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 signed off. During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew and fans of the show. The Queen's message said: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the bonds forged, the struggles conquered and the joy experienced in undertaking a shared challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, care and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship. View: Scene Strictly 2025 victors are crowned Former England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly winner, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, remarked: "I can't believe it, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "lost for words". 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 veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's popularity, 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 soccer-inspired 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 favourite 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 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 sports-inspired 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 step onto the dance floor in the final. But the winning duo faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. The couple performed routines including a show dance 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 performed again their Paso Doble 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 supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "been transformative," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be proud and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance. Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale. Tess and Claudia's Final Final A photo from the historic final presentation 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 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 signed off. During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew and fans of the show. The Queen's message said: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the bonds forged, the struggles conquered and the joy experienced in undertaking a shared challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, care and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.