Karen Carney crowned Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winner in glitzy final
Former Lioness becomes first footballer to win the Glitterball trophy, as Amber Davies and George Clarke push her to the public vote; Daly and Winkleman bow out with a Queen Camilla tribute
Karen Carney has been crowned the winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2025, becoming the first footballer to lift the Glitterball trophy after a public vote in Saturday’s live final on BBC One. The former England midfielder and her professional partner Carlos Gu defeated Love Islander Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, along with social media personality George Clarke and Alexis Warr, to claim the prize.
Carney and Gu closed the show with a football-themed jive to One Way Or Another by Blondie, which drew a standing ovation and was followed by a showy, high-energy routine that earned them what the pair described as their second perfect score of the night. Earlier in the finale the couple danced a show dance to Inner Smile by Texas and an Argentine Tango to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. The finale, like previous years, mixed three dance blocks: a judge-chosen number, the couple’s favourite from the series, and a show dance, with the public vote deciding the winner.
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin opened the night with a show dance to Rain On Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, followed by a fierce Paso Doble to Dream On by Aerosmith and a high-energy jive to Proud Mary. George Clarke and Alexis Warr reprised their Paso Doble to Game of Survival by Ruelle, then performed a show dance to Human by The Killers and a Viennese Waltz to Somebody to Love by Queen. After weeks of tangos, salsas and foxtrots, Carney and Gu emerged as the public’s choice.
Carney said afterward that the moment felt unreal and that the journey had been a privilege, while Gu thanked Carney for what he called a life-changing experience and urged viewers to chase their dreams. The result marked a milestone for Strictly, underscoring the show’s broad appeal across sports, reality and broader entertainment audiences.
The live final also featured a performance from boyband Five, who performed a string of their hits as most of the season’s cast returned for one more routine. One notable absence from the night was Thomas Skinner, who did not attend and later claimed on social media that the BBC rigged the vote. A BBC spokesperson rejected the claim, noting that the public vote is independently overseen and verified to ensure accuracy.
The broadcast also contained a farewell moment for the show’s longtime hosts. Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, who have steered Strictly for years, signed off from the live final in emotionally charged scenes. Daly has presented since the show began 21 years ago, while Winkleman joined in 2014 after hosting its sister program It Takes Two. In a message read aloud by judge Craig Revel Horwood, Queen Camilla paid tribute to Daly and Winkleman, praising their warmth, compassion and happiness as central to the show’s appeal. The Queen’s message noted that the pair had been “utterly fab-u-lous” and thanked them for their years of work.
The pair will return for a Christmas special on December 25, which will also mark their final appearance in a Strictly final. The production continues to reflect the show’s enduring popularity and its ability to blend sport, music and dance into a weekly cultural event. The 2025 finale capped a season that included surprise returns, emotional eliminations and a final vote that kept audiences across the country engaged until the last number.
With Carney’s victory, Strictly Come Dancing 2025 ends its run with a strong sense of renewal and transition, as new generations of contestants and fans look ahead to next year’s competition. The Glitterball trophy has rarely rested on a single sport’s laurels before, and Carney’s win may well spark renewed interest in the competition among football fans and athletes seeking crossover appeal in popular culture.
