🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Final This article reveals the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship. View: Moment Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are declared Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first footballer to win the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing 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 privilege," before adding she was "speechless". It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, empathy and sheer happiness" had been at the heart of the show's success, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their soccer-inspired 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 series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the viewing audience made the final decision. Carney and Gu executed routines 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 perfect score of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the victorious pair faced stiff competition from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage. The couple delivered routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Spanish-inspired dance to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive to 'Proud Mary'. In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "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." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more routine. However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete fairness". The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale. Tess and Claudia's Final Final A photo 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 stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they said their goodbyes. During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew 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 relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the joy shared in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, compassion and pure joy you have radiated with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's last ever appearance will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
This article reveals the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship. View: Moment Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winners are declared Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first footballer to win the glitterball trophy. She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing 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 privilege," before adding she was "speechless". It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the last time - with the Queen among those offering praise to the long-running hosts. Hosts Tess and Claudia say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing In a note read out by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, empathy and sheer happiness" had been at the heart of the show's success, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their soccer-inspired 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 series, and the other was a show dance. The judges gave guidance scores but the viewing audience made the final decision. Carney and Gu executed routines 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 perfect score of the night. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the first couple to step onto the stage in the final. But the victorious pair faced stiff competition from the other remaining couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage. The couple delivered routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Spanish-inspired dance to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive to 'Proud Mary'. In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised 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 ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll. "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." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to revisit their favourite dance from the series, a powerful routine to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 returning for one more routine. However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the elimination process that saw him leave the show was rigged. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete fairness". The boyband Five also performed a string of their popular songs during the finale. Tess and Claudia's Final Final A photo 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 stepping down at the end of this year's series. Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004. This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of feeling as they said their goodbyes. During the televised event, as well as the message from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the crew 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 relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the joy shared in undertaking a joint challenge. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all. "The warmth, compassion and pure joy you have radiated with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success." Daly and Winkleman's last ever appearance will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.