🔗 Share this article Strictly Champions Announced in Spectacular Grand Finale This piece covers the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event. View: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are declared Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, emerging as the first footballer to claim the coveted trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing 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 ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a message presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, 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 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, earning them a rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to take to the dance floor in the final. But the victorious pair faced stiff rivalry from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage. The pair performed dances including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Spanish-inspired dance to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'. Meanwhile, 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they topped the public vote. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose 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 contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance. However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. 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 string of their hits during the grand final. Tess and Claudia's Final Show An image from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, 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 inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they signed off. 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 said: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the connections created, the challenges conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a joint endeavour. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, 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 Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.
This piece covers the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event. View: Scene Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are declared Former England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, emerging as the first footballer to claim the coveted trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's grand finale. Carney, who was dancing 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 ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a message presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's success, stating: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the championship trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, 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 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, earning them a rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to take to the dance floor in the final. But the victorious pair faced stiff rivalry from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage. The pair performed dances including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Spanish-inspired dance to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'. Meanwhile, 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they topped the public vote. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us," said Carney. Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up." Social media star George Clarke and Alexis Warr chose 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 contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance. However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. 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 string of their hits during the grand final. Tess and Claudia's Final Show An image from the emotional final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Earlier this year, 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 inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time hosting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they signed off. 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 said: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the connections created, the challenges conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a joint endeavour. "Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, 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 Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.