Strictly Champions Announced in Glitzy Grand Finale
This piece covers the conclusion of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing culminating event.
Ex- Lioness Karen Carney has been crowned this year's Strictly winner, emerging as the first professional soccer player to lift the glitterball trophy.
She beat reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after winning the public vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, remarked: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest honour," before saying she was "lost for words".
It was an emotional night in the studio, as hosts 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 message presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's success, adding: "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly brilliant".
As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own preferred dance from the competition, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave guidance scores but the public made the ultimate choice.
Carney and Gu performed 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 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 strong competition from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to take to the dance floor.
The pair 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 revisited their Paso Doble to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle.
They also did their freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a classical waltz to 'Somebody to Love' by Queen.
But after weeks of ballroom dances, it was Carney and Gu's night as they topped the public vote.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed our experience, and supported us," said Carney.
Gu told her she had "been transformative," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be confident and never give up."
Other highlights on the night included most of the contestants of 2025 coming back for one more performance.
Yet, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had alleged earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was rigged.
A spokesperson denied the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete accuracy".
The boyband Five also performed a string of their hits during the grand final.
Tess and Claudia's Final Show
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the surprise revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season.
Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having fronted Strictly's sister show 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 fans 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 experienced in undertaking a joint challenge.
"Should that be the case, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly pairing of all.
"The kindness, care and pure joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success."
Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which is broadcast on 25 December.
