Strictly Winners Announced in Spectacular Grand Final
This article reveals the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing final.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy.
She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the audience vote in Saturday's grand finale.
Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "speechless".
It was an emotional night in the studio, 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.
In a message read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's success, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".
Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the series, and the other was a freestyle routine.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public made the ultimate choice.
Carney and Gu performed 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 sports-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, earning them a standing ovation - and their second perfect score of the night.
But the winning duo faced stiff competition from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage.
The pair delivered dances 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 revisited their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle.
They also did their show dance to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese 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 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," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be proud and never give up."
Other memorable moments on the night included most of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more routine.
However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was unfair.
A representative rejected the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total accuracy".
The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final.
Tess and Claudia's Final Show
Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's season.
Daly has presented since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined 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 tribute from the Queen, there were messages from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew and fans of the show.
The Queen's message said: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the connections created, the struggles conquered and the joy experienced in undertaking a shared endeavour.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.
"The kindness, care and sheer joy you have radiated with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
