🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Winners Crowned in Spectacular Grand Finale This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing final. Watch: Moment Strictly 2025 winners are crowned Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to win the coveted trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the public vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, stated: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "lost for words". It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a message presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure 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 wonderful". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was chosen by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the viewing audience made the ultimate choice. 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 rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to take to the stage in the final. But the winning pair faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage. The couple delivered routines including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble 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 freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese Waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the young people watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more performance. However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total fairness". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their hits during the finale. Tess and Claudia's Last Final An image from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation 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 came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they signed off. During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef 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 connections created, the struggles overcome and the joy experienced in undertaking a shared endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all. "The warmth, care and pure happiness you have radiated 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.
This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing final. Watch: Moment Strictly 2025 winners are crowned Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to win the coveted trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the public vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, stated: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "lost for words". It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a message presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure 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 wonderful". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was chosen by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the viewing audience made the ultimate choice. 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 rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to take to the stage in the final. But the winning pair faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage. The couple delivered routines including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble 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 freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese Waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the young people watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more performance. However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total fairness". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their hits during the finale. Tess and Claudia's Last Final An image from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation 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 came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they signed off. During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef 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 connections created, the struggles overcome and the joy experienced in undertaking a shared endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all. "The warmth, care and pure happiness you have radiated 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.