Strictly Come Dancing Winners Announced in Glitzy Live Finale
This article reveals the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing final.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly champion, becoming the first professional soccer player to win the coveted trophy.
She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, stated: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest 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 the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts.
In a note read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and sheer joy" had been at the heart of the show's success, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".
As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public made the ultimate choice.
Carney and Gu performed dances 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 sports-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, earning them a rapturous reception - and their second perfect score of the night.
But the winning pair faced stiff rivalry from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage.
The pair performed 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'.
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 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 public vote.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "been transformative," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up."
Other memorable moments on the night included the majority of the cast of 2025 returning 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 representative rejected the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure total fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final.
The Hosts' Last Show
Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement 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 hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their last time presenting 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 TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees of the show.
The Queen's message said: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections created, the challenges conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint endeavour.
"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.
"The warmth, compassion and sheer joy 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 airs on 25 December.
