Strictly Come Dancing Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Final
This piece covers the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship.
Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the coveted trophy.
She beat reality TV star Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's grand finale.
Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, stated: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before adding 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 the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts.
In a message presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the core of the show's popularity, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".
As usual, one of the dances in the final show was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite 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 performed 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, garnering them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night.
But the victorious pair faced strong competition from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the dance floor.
The couple 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'.
In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the public vote.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our journey, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "changed my life," commenting: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up."
Other memorable moments on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more performance.
However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair.
A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the grand final.
Tess and Claudia's Final Show
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock revelation that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series.
Daly has presented since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined 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 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 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 friendships: the connections forged, the challenges conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint endeavour.
"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.
"The warmth, care and pure joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's last ever appearance will be the holiday episode, which is broadcast on 25 December.
