Strictly Come Dancing Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Final
This piece covers the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, emerging as the first footballer to win the glitterball trophy.
She defeated reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before adding she was "speechless".
It was an emotional night in the ballroom, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the veteran hosts.
In a message read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure joy" had been at the heart of the show's success, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant".
Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the series, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the final decision.
Carney and Gu performed routines including a freestyle to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an 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.
But the winning pair faced fierce competition from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor.
The pair delivered dances 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'.
Meanwhile, 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 salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll.
"I just want to say thank you to everybody that has backed our experience, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up."
Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more performance.
Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair.
A spokesperson rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete accuracy".
The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale.
The Hosts' Final Show
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement 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 joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they said their goodbyes.
During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees 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 friendships: the connections forged, the challenges conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a joint endeavour.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all.
"The kindness, compassion and pure happiness 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 holiday episode, which is broadcast on 25 December.
