Strictly Come Dancing Winners Announced in Glitzy Grand Final

This article reveals the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship.

Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to win the glitterball trophy.

She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's grand finale.

Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest privilege," before saying she was "lost for words".

It was an emotional night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts.

In a message presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and sheer 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".

Following tradition, 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 guidance scores but the public made the final decision.

Carney and Gu executed dances 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 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 victorious pair faced fierce competition from the other competing couples.

Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage.

The pair performed 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'.

Meanwhile, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr revisited their dramatic dance 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 public vote.

"My sincere thanks go 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 proud and never give up."

Other highlights on the night included the majority of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more performance.

Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was rigged.

A representative denied the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total accuracy".

The boyband Five also performed a string of their hits during the grand final.

The Hosts' Final Show

In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be leaving their roles 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 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 live broadcast, as well as the message 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 relationships: the connections forged, the challenges overcome and the joy shared in undertaking a shared challenge.

"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.

"The warmth, care and sheer joy you have projected 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.