Strictly Winners Announced in Glitzy Live Finale
This article reveals the conclusion of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing final.
Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly champion, becoming the first footballer to win the glitterball trophy.
She defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "I can't believe it, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "lost for words".
It was an poignant night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with the Queen among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts.
In a note read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and sheer joy" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly wonderful".
As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the series, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public 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 football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, garnering them a standing ovation - and their second perfect score of the night.
But the victorious duo faced strong rivalry from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage.
The couple performed dances 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 reprised 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll.
"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, aim high and be confident and never give up."
Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance.
Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged.
A spokesperson denied the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a string of their hits during the grand final.
The Hosts' Final Final
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series.
Daly has presented since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they said their goodbyes.
During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef 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 relationships: the bonds forged, the struggles conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a shared endeavour.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all.
"The warmth, care and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
