Karen Carney wins Strictly Come Dancing 2025 as Queen Camilla tribute caps emotional finale; pension auto-enrolment bands raise retirement questions

Karen Carney has been crowned the winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2025, in a finale that featured tears, tributes and a deeply emotional farewell to longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. A special message from Queen Camilla appeared during the broadcast, underscoring the milestone moment as the series closed its run for the year.

The finale pitted three performances for each finalist: a judges’ choice, their show dance and a favourite dance. Carney, a former footballer turned broadcaster, partnered with Carlos Gu to deliver a closing-night performance that included a jive choreographed to Blondie’s One Way or Another. The routine, among the standout moments of the night, helped drive Carney toward the title as the judging panel pressed for near-perfect marks.

Scores displayed during the broadcast showed Amber Davies on 118 points and George Clarke on 117, with Karen Carney also on 117 before final-night performances were tallied for the crown. Carney’s finale showcase, including a fierce show dance and a later favourite, sealed her victory as the judges and audience alike watched in close consensus that she had earned the Glitterball trophy.

Carney reacted with a blend of astonishment and gratitude. “I cannot believe it. I just wanna say thank you to everybody that's supported our journey, supported us, and, thank you to this wonderful gentleman [Carlos],” she said. “We are a team, and I could not have done this without you, but honestly, I can’t believe it, it’s been the biggest privilege and honour, and, I literally, I’m lost for words. I’m so sorry.” She later posted a note on Instagram, posing with the glittering trophy and thanking fans for their support.

Carlos Gu, visibly moved, broke down in tears as he spoke about their partnership and his early self-doubt before teaming with Carney. He credited her with changing his approach to teamwork and thanked her for the journey they shared.

Earlier in the night, Daly and Winkleman received a formal tribute in a pre-recorded montage before the result was announced. The moment included a reading of a letter from Her Majesty The Queen, read aloud by Craig Revel Horwood, that lauded the hosts’ longevity and the warmth they’ve brought to the series. The note described the show as built on friendships, resilience and shared joy, concluding with: “With the warmest gratitude and admiration, Her Royal Highness, Queen Camilla.”

The pair’s departure, announced in October, marks the end of an era for Strictly Come Dancing. Daly has fronted the show for more than two decades, a tenure that earned her a Guinness World Record for the longest-serving host of the same dance competition on television. Winkleman’s presence has also been central to the show’s dynamic since she took over co-host duties alongside Daly.

The finale opened with a production homage to the show’s history and a nod to this year’s 15 celebrity contestants, before the remaining three—Amber Davies, George Clarke and Karen Carney—each delivered a trio of performances. Amber and her partner Nikita, and George with Alexis, offered standout moments, including Amber’s show dance to a “Proud Mary”-style routine that showcased a flawless blend of technique and showmanship. Yet, when the dust settled, Carney and Gu’s final performance was remembered as the emotional crescendo of the night.

The broader entertainment night aside, markets and business desks turned their attention to a separate, data-driven story on pensions and retirement planning that has implications for millions of workers. A little-known quirk in auto-enrolment rules could mean that many savers are contributing less than they think to their pension pots, potentially altering long-term retirement outcomes for higher earners.

Under auto-enrolment rules, workers aged 22 and over who earn at least £10,000 are automatically enrolled in a workplace pension with a minimum contribution of 8 per cent of salary. This is typically split as 5 per cent contributed by the employee and 3 per cent by the employer. The catch lies in the qualifying earnings bands, which cap contributions at earnings between £6,240 and £50,270. As a result, someone earning £100,000 could end up contributing the same amount as someone earning £50,270, simply because the contributions are calculated only on that wage band. Independent financial analysts warn that this could leave higher earners with retirement shortfalls unless they act.

Ed Wood, a senior financial planner at Rathbones, described the effect as a potential blind spot for higher earners: “The qualifying earnings structure means higher earners could be sleepwalking into a retirement shortfall. As contributions only have to be taken from a slice of your pay from £6,240 up to £50,270, someone earning £100,000 may not be saving more into their pension than a colleague on £50,000.”

AJ Bell’s analysis illustrates the potential financial impact. In practical terms, workers earning higher salaries could face substantial differences in retirement outcomes depending on whether their scheme uses the full salary or only qualifying earnings for pension contributions. Illustrative figures show that a 50-year-old with £100,000 in pension assets who earns £50,270 could expect about £349,890 by age 65 if contributions are based solely on qualifying earnings. If the same person earns £60,000 and saves 8 per cent of the full salary, the pot could reach about £412,721 by 65—an extra £62,831. With an £80,000 salary, the pot could grow to £465,616, an increase of £115,726, and at £100,000, the potential could rise to £518,511, roughly £168,621 more than the restricted approach.

Laura Suter, director of personal finance at AJ Bell, emphasised that auto-enrolment should be viewed as a floor, not a finish line. “Auto-enrolment was designed as a minimum safety net, not the perfect retirement strategy, and this shows why anyone earning above £50,000 should check how their pension is set up and how much is actually being paid in each month.” Nest data from 2022 estimated that only four in ten employees work for a company that calculates contributions based on full salary, suggesting the issue is widespread.

For workers considering adjustments, the analysis highlights concrete steps: ask employers whether pension contributions use qualifying earnings or full salary, consider increasing contributions where affordable, or use salary sacrifice arrangements to boost retirement pots. The guidance also notes that increasing contributions should be balanced with other financial obligations and phased in gradually to avoid financial strain. The overarching message from the analysts is clear: auto-enrolment provides a base but not comprehensive retirement planning, and workers should actively review and potentially expand their contributions to reflect their full earnings.

A final note from AJ Bell and Nest underscores the need for ongoing engagement with retirement planning. As the pension landscape evolves, both the entertainment and markets sides of the business community will continue to monitor how audiences respond to high-profile television moments and how savers respond to evolving pension rules.