Strictly Come Dancing Winners Crowned in Spectacular Live Final

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

Former Lioness Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing winner, becoming the first professional soccer player to win the coveted trophy.

She beat reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final.

Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "This is incredible, it's been the greatest honour," before adding she was "overwhelmed".

It was an emotional night in the ballroom, 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 note presented by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, empathy and pure joy" had been at the heart 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 grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the series, and the other was a show dance.

The judges gave guidance scores but the viewing audience 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 standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night.

But the winning pair faced stiff rivalry from the other competing couples.

Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage.

The couple performed routines including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a jive 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 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.

"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," adding: "To the young people watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up."

Other memorable moments on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more routine.

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

A spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure complete accuracy".

The group Five also performed a string of their hits during the finale.

The Hosts' Last Show

In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's season.

Daly has hosted since the inaugural series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004.

This was their last time presenting 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 recorded notes from celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the production team and fans of the show.

The Queen's message read: "It has often seemed to me that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships: the bonds created, the struggles conquered and the happiness experienced 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 happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's appeal."

Daly and Winkleman's last ever show will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.