🔗 Share this article Strictly Champions Announced in Spectacular Live Final This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event. 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 claim the glitterball trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the public vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "overwhelmed". It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts. Presenters Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their soccer-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the competition, and the other was a freestyle routine. The judges gave advisory scores but the viewing audience made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed routines including a show dance 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, earning them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to step onto the dance floor in the final. But the victorious pair faced fierce competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. 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 topped the public vote. "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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Influencer 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, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure total fairness". The boyband Five also performed a string of their hits during the grand final. Tess and Claudia's Last Show An image from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement that they would be stepping down 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 sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling 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 production team and devotees of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the bonds created, the struggles conquered and the happiness shared in undertaking a joint challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, compassion and sheer joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
This piece covers the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event. 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 claim the glitterball trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the public vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "overwhelmed". It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts. Presenters Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their soccer-inspired jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a standing ovation. Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the competition, and the other was a freestyle routine. The judges gave advisory scores but the viewing audience made the ultimate choice. Carney and Gu executed routines including a show dance 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, earning them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to step onto the dance floor in the final. But the victorious pair faced fierce competition from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor. 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 topped the public vote. "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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up." Influencer 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, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure total fairness". The boyband Five also performed a string of their hits during the grand final. Tess and Claudia's Last Show An image from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise announcement that they would be stepping down 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 sister show It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling 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 production team and devotees of the show. The Queen's message read: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the bonds created, the struggles conquered and the happiness shared in undertaking a joint challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, compassion and sheer joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.