Strictly Come Dancing Champions Crowned in Glitzy Grand Finale

This piece covers the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event.

Ex- England footballer Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly champion, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy.

She overcame reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's live final.

Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "I can't believe it, it's been the greatest honour," before saying she was "overwhelmed".

It was an poignant 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 message read out 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: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant".

Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen 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 public made the ultimate choice.

Carney and Gu performed 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 football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie, earning them a rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night.

But the victorious duo faced fierce rivalry from the other remaining couples.

Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the dance floor.

The couple delivered routines including a freestyle to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'.

Meanwhile, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr performed again their dramatic dance 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 tangos, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the viewer poll.

"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," commenting: "To the young people watching at home, aim high and be proud and never give up."

Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 returning for one more performance.

However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was rigged.

A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's public vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total accuracy".

The boyband Five also performed a string of their hits during the grand final.

Tess and Claudia's Final Show

Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock 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 came on board 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 signed off.

During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were recorded notes from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans 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 endeavour.

"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.

"The warmth, compassion and sheer joy you have radiated 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 Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.