🔗 Share this article Strictly Come Dancing Winners Announced in Glitzy Grand Final This article reveals the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event. Watch: Scene Strictly 2025 winners are declared Former England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest privilege," before saying she was "speechless". It was an poignant night in the studio, 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 sheer happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. 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 public made the final decision. Carney and Gu executed 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. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to take to the stage in the final. But the winning pair faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the stage. The pair delivered routines 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 performed again their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their show dance to 'Human' by The Killers, and a classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the public vote. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our experience, 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." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more performance. Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total accuracy". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale. The Hosts' Final Final A photo from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, 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 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 overcome with feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team 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 relationships: the connections created, the struggles conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all. "The kindness, care and sheer happiness 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 is broadcast on 25 December.
This article reveals the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event. Watch: Scene Strictly 2025 winners are declared Former England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to claim the glitterball trophy. She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's live final. Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest privilege," before saying she was "speechless". It was an poignant night in the studio, 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 sheer happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly brilliant". Karen Carney and Carlos Gu with the glitterball trophy - their football-themed jive to 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie earned them a rapturous applause. 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 public made the final decision. Carney and Gu executed 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. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin were the opening couple to take to the stage in the final. But the winning pair faced fierce rivalry from the other competing couples. Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the stage. The pair delivered routines 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 performed again their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. They also did their show dance to 'Human' by The Killers, and a classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. But after weeks of salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won the public vote. "My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our experience, 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." Influencer George Clarke and Alexis Warr opted to repeat their signature dance from the series, a Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle. Other highlights on the night included the majority of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more performance. Yet, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him leave the show was unfair. A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and verified to ensure total accuracy". The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale. The Hosts' Final Final A photo from the historic final presentation by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. In October, 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 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 overcome with feeling as they signed off. During the live broadcast, as well as the message from the Queen, there were recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team 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 relationships: the connections created, the struggles conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint endeavour. "If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly pairing of all. "The kindness, care and sheer happiness 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 is broadcast on 25 December.