🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Champions Announced in Spectacular Live Finale This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event. Watch: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 victors are declared Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, becoming the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the public vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest privilege," before saying she was "speechless". It was an poignant night in the ballroom, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with the Queen among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts. Presenters Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the heart of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship 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 final show was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, 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 freestyle 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, garnering 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 duo faced strong competition from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the dance floor. The couple delivered 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'. Meanwhile, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their Paso Doble 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 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 journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more performance. However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him exit the show was unfair. A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total fairness". The group Five also performed a string of their hits during the finale. The Hosts' Last Show An image from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock 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 came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were overcome with feeling as they signed off. During the televised event, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew 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 joy experienced in undertaking a shared challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, compassion and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
This report details the outcome of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event. Watch: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 victors are declared Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, becoming the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the public vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest privilege," before saying she was "speechless". It was an poignant night in the ballroom, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with the Queen among those paying tribute to the long-running hosts. Presenters Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the heart of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship 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 final show was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, 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 freestyle 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, garnering 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 duo faced strong competition from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the dance floor. The couple delivered 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'. Meanwhile, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their Paso Doble 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 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 journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," adding: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more performance. However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him exit the show was unfair. A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total fairness". The group Five also performed a string of their hits during the finale. The Hosts' Last Show An image from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock 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 came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their last time hosting a Strictly final, and both were overcome with feeling as they signed off. During the televised event, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew 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 joy experienced in undertaking a shared challenge. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, compassion and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.