Strictly Winners Crowned in Glitzy Grand Final
This piece covers the conclusion of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing championship.
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been declared this year's Strictly champion, becoming the first footballer to lift the coveted trophy.
She overcame reality TV star Amber Davies and online influencer George Clarke after winning the audience vote in Saturday's live final.
Carney, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, said: "It's unbelievable, it's been the greatest honour," before adding she was "speechless".
It was an poignant night in the ballroom, as hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly fronted the final for the final occasion - with Queen Camilla among those offering praise to the veteran hosts.
In a note presented by panelist Craig Revel Horwood, the Queen said Daly and Winkleman's "warmth, compassion and pure joy" 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 freestyle routine.
The judges gave guidance scores but the public 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 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 winning pair faced strong competition from the other competing couples.
Amber Davies and her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, were the first to grace the stage.
The couple delivered routines 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'.
In another performance, George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr revisited their dramatic dance to 'Game of Survival' by Ruelle.
They also did their freestyle routine to 'Human' by The Killers, and a Viennese 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 backed our experience, 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 proud and never give up."
Other memorable moments on the night included most of the cast of 2025 coming back for one more routine.
However, social media personality Thomas Skinner did not attend. He had claimed earlier that the vote that saw him exit the show was unfair.
A spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying the show's audience vote was "externally monitored and checked to ensure complete fairness".
The boyband Five also performed a selection of their popular songs during the finale.
The Hosts' Last Final
In October, Daly and Winkleman made the shock announcement that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's season.
Daly has hosted since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's companion program It Takes Two since 2004.
This was their final 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 celebrity chef Mary Berry, members of the crew 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 challenges conquered and the happiness experienced in undertaking a shared challenge.
"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 show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
