Strictly Winners Announced in Glitzy Live Finale
This report details the conclusion of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship.
Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, becoming the first professional soccer player to lift 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 dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "speechless".
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 offering praise to the veteran hosts.
In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, empathy and pure joy" 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 preferred dance from the competition, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public made the final decision.
Carney and Gu executed dances 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 perfect score of the night.
But the winning duo faced stiff competition from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage.
The couple performed routines including a show dance 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 dramatic dance 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 tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our experience, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up."
Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more performance.
Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had alleged earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged.
A spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure total fairness".
The group Five also performed a string of their hits during the finale.
The Hosts' Last Final
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series.
Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having fronted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their last time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they signed off.
During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans 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 struggles conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint endeavour.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all.
"The kindness, compassion and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success."
Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
