Strictly Come Dancing Champions Crowned in Spectacular Grand Final

This article reveals the result of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing final.

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

She beat Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the viewers' vote in Saturday's live final.

Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, stated: "This is incredible, it's been the biggest privilege," before adding she was "overwhelmed".

It was an emotional night in the studio, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts.

In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "kindness, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the heart of the show's popularity, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".

Following tradition, one of the dances in the grand finale was selected by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the competition, and the other was a show dance.

The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the final decision.

Carney and Gu performed dances including a freestyle 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, garnering them a rapturous reception - and their second full marks of the night.

But the victorious duo faced strong competition from the other competing couples.

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

The pair performed dances including a freestyle 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'.

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

"I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our experience, and supported us," said Carney.

Gu told her she had "been transformative," adding: "To the girls and boys 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 elimination process that saw him leave the show was unfair.

A representative rejected the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete accuracy".

The group Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale.

The Hosts' Last Show

In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's series.

Daly has hosted 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 signed off.

During the live broadcast, as well as the tribute from the Queen, there were messages from TV cook Mary Berry, members of the production team and devotees 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 relationships: the connections created, the struggles overcome and the joy experienced in undertaking a joint challenge.

"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all.

"The kindness, care and sheer happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success."

Daly and Winkleman's final show will be the Christmas special, which is broadcast on 25 December.