Karen Carney wins Strictly Come Dancing 2025 as Queen Camilla tribute punctuates emotional finale; pensions auto-enrolment quirk could boost retirement pots

Karen Carney was crowned Strictly Come Dancing 2025 on Saturday night in an emotionally charged finale that saw long-serving hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman bid viewers goodbye. Carney, 38, clinched the title after performing three dances for the last time with her professional partner, Carlos Gu, including a jive that sealed the moment on live television. As the announcement rang out, Carney appeared speechless, embracing Gu and thanking the audience for their support. She later posted a message on Instagram thanking fans while lifting the glitterball trophy.

The night unfolded with the finalists performing three routines apiece: a judges’ choice, their show dance, and a favourite dance. The judges’ choice for Carney and Gu—selected by Motsi Mabuse—earned a perfect score of 40, underscoring the pair’s command of the ballroom. Earlier in the evening, Amber Davies and George Clarke also delivered strong showings, including Amber’s show dance and George’s Viennese Waltz, but it was Carney who ultimately secured the crown after the final performances.

In the penultimate moments of the broadcast, Carney and Gu delivered a show-stopping finale dance—a jive to Blondie’s One Way or Another performed in sequined football kit that referenced Carney’s athletic background. The routine earned a perfect 40 from the judging panel, and the moment capped a night of high drama and emotional tributes. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who announced their own departure from the program in October, were visibly moved as the results concluded. Gu, speaking to Claudia after the dance, broke into tears and credited Carney with transforming his outlook on collaboration and teamwork. As the hosts signaled the end of an era, the studio audience and viewers at home were treated to a closing montage that highlighted the show’s 21-year run in Daly’s case, and two decades of partnership with Winkleman.

The tribute sequence that preceded the result featured a special VT marking the series’ highlights. In a moment that blended tradition and ceremony, Craig Revel Horwood read a letter from Queen Camilla addressed to Daly and Winkleman. The note thanked them for their years of service, celebrated the friendships formed on the show, and urged them to keep dancing as they embark on the next chapter. The Queen’s message, read aloud on air, underscored the night’s mixture of nostalgia and celebration for the program’s enduring appeal.

Tess Daly has fronted Strictly for more than two decades, becoming the longest-serving host of the same dance competition and setting a Guinness World Record for the achievement earlier this week. Claudia Winkleman’s tenure since Daly’s partner shift in 2013 has also been a defining element of the show’s modern era. Their departure marks the end of an era for a program that has remained a staple of British broadcasting and a platform for both established and rising talents.

The night’s performances included Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmenko performing a show dance to a popular sequence, followed by George Clarke and Alexis Conran delivering a Viennese Waltz set to a classic track. Amber opened the show with a bold Paso Doble to Dream On, which led to a strong score but not the top mark for the night. George’s routine, inspired by his journey from “zero to hero,” also contributed to a competitive atmosphere as the finalists approached the final decision. The broadcast closed with Carney and Gu’s victorious jive, a performance that resonated with audiences and sealed her status as this year’s Strictly champion.

The finals episode reflected the enduring appeal of Strictly Come Dancing as an entertainment property with broad audience engagement and high-profile partnerships. The performances, star power, and emotional storytelling all contribute to the show’s continuing value to advertisers and producers, even as question marks linger over the long-term evolution of the format and its broadcast strategy.

Separately, financial advisers are highlighting a growing savings attention point tied to workplace pensions. Millions of workers are saving less into their pensions than they believe, due in part to auto-enrolment rules and the way qualifying earnings bands are defined. Under current rules, workers aged 22 and over who earn at least £10,000 automatically participate in their workplace pension, with a minimum contribution of 8 percent of salary split as 5 percent from the employee and 3 percent from the employer. The catch: contributions are calculated on earnings within the qualifying band, currently from £6,240 to £50,270 for a given year. As a result, higher earners may not be increasing their pension contributions in line with their full salary, potentially leaving thousands of pounds on the table by retirement.

Industry observers note that the qualifying-earnings structure can create a retirement shortfall for higher earners. Ed Wood, a senior financial planner at Rathbones, said the arrangement means higher earners could be sleepwalking into a shortfall, since contributions may only apply to a portion of the salary. AJ Bell’s analysis illustrates the potential impact: a person earning £100,000 who would otherwise save 8 percent of their full salary might see a significantly larger pension pot by retirement if contributions scaled with total pay rather than qualifying earnings.

AJ Bell’s projections show, for example, that someone aged 50 with £100,000 in the pension and earning £50,270 could expect about £349,890 by 65 under the current minimums, assuming 6 percent annual investment growth. By contrast, if that same worker could contribute 8 percent of their full salary, their pot could rise to around £412,721. Similar gaps appear at higher salary levels: an £80,000 earner could reach £465,616 with full-salary contributions versus £349,890 under qualifying earnings; a £100,000 earner could amass £518,511 versus £349,890, a difference of roughly £168,621. The analysis also notes that those starting out in the workforce could see proportionally larger gains from contributing on full salary, with potential increases of hundreds of thousands of pounds over a 40-year horizon depending on salary trajectories and investment performance.

Laura Suter, director of personal finance at AJ Bell, warned that auto-enrolment was designed as a minimum safety net, not a complete retirement strategy, and urged higher earners to review how their pension is configured. Nest’s 2022 analysis suggested that only about four in ten employees work for a company that calculates contributions based on full salary. The guidance also encourages workers to consider salary sacrifice arrangements and to explore whether their employer matches higher contribution rates.

For workers considering adjustments, experts recommend gradual increases to contributions to avoid financial strain, as well as consolidating old pension pots and reviewing overall retirement savings. The overarching message is clear: ensure that pension contributions reflect total earnings where possible, verify whether qualifying-earnings bands are in use, and explore ways to maximize both employee and employer contributions.

The two stories—one celebratory and theatrical, the other practical and financial—underscore how public life intersects with broader economic realities. In entertainment, a marquee event can reshape careers and brand narratives in real time. In personal finance, subtle policy choices within auto-enrolment rules can materially alter long-term retirement outcomes, prompting workers to reassess how their future is funded.