Strictly Winners Announced in Glitzy Grand Finale
This piece covers the result of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 culminating event.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly winner, becoming the first footballer to lift the glitterball trophy.
She overcame reality TV star Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke after securing the audience vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was dancing with pro partner Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the greatest honour," before adding she was "lost for words".
It was an poignant night in the studio, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the last time - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the long-running hosts.
In a message read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure happiness" had been at the core of the show's popularity, stating: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly fab-u-lous".
Following tradition, 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 advisory 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 Argentine 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 standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night.
But the victorious duo faced stiff competition from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to grace the stage.
The pair delivered 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'.
In another performance, 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 viewer poll.
"My sincere thanks go to everybody that has backed 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 the majority of the cast of 2025 returning for one more performance.
However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the elimination process that saw him exit the show was rigged.
A spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying the show's public vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure complete fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a selection of their hits during the finale.
The Hosts' Last Final
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock revelation that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season.
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 last 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 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 friendships: the connections forged, the struggles conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a joint endeavour.
"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all.
"The kindness, compassion and sheer joy you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's appeal."
Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the holiday episode, which airs on 25 December.
