Strictly Champions Announced in Glitzy Live Final
This piece covers the outcome of the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 championship.
Former England footballer Karen Carney has been named this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, becoming the first footballer to lift the glitterball trophy.
She overcame Love Islander Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after securing the audience vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was dancing with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the biggest privilege," before adding she was "lost for words".
It was an heartfelt night in the ballroom, as presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hosted the final for the last time - with Queen Camilla among those paying tribute to the veteran hosts.
In a message read out by judge Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure joy" had been at the heart of the show's success, adding: "On behalf of all viewers when I say you have been utterly brilliant".
Following tradition, one of the dances in the final show 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 final decision.
Carney and Gu executed dances including a freestyle to 'Inner Smile' by Texas, and an Argentine 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, earning them a standing ovation - and their second full marks of the night.
But the winning duo faced strong competition from the other remaining couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the initial to take to the stage.
The couple performed dances including a show dance to 'Rain On Me' by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to 'Dream On' by Aerosmith, and a upbeat dance to 'Proud Mary'.
In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr reprised 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 salsas and foxtrots, it was Carney and Gu's night as they won 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 "changed my life," commenting: "To the girls and boys watching at home, aim high and be confident and never give up."
Other highlights on the night included most of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more routine.
However, online figure Thomas Skinner did not appear. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair.
A representative denied the claim, saying the show's audience vote was "independently overseen and checked to ensure total fairness".
The group Five also performed a selection of their hits during the grand final.
Tess and Claudia's Final Show
Earlier this year, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be leaving their roles at the end of this year's season.
Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman came on board in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their final time presenting a Strictly final, and both were full of emotion as they signed off.
During the televised event, 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: "I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about relationships: the connections forged, the struggles conquered and the joy shared in undertaking a joint challenge.
"If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the most significant Strictly partnership of all.
"The warmth, care and pure happiness you have projected with and from each other has been at the centre of the show's success."
Daly and Winkleman's final appearance will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
