Karen Carney crowned Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winner in glitzy live final
Former Lioness Karen Carney wins Glitterball trophy, first footballer to lift the prize; hosts bid farewell.
Karen Carney has been crowned the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 winner in a glittering live final on BBC One, becoming the program's first footballer to lift the Glitterball trophy.
Carney, paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, won the title after the public vote in Saturday's finale, finishing ahead of Love Island contestant Amber Davies and social media personality George Clarke. The final followed the familiar format of three dances per couple: a show dance, a personal favorite from the series, and a show routine. Carney and Gu delivered a football-themed jive to One Way Or Another by Blondie that drew a standing ovation, while other selections included a Texas show dance and an Argentine Tango. The final decision rested with the public vote, with advisory scores from the judges guiding the performances.
In a night marked by emotion and tributes, Queen Camilla sent a message read aloud by judge Craig Revel Horwood, praising the warmth and happiness Daly and Winkleman have brought to the show. Carney and Gu celebrated with their football-inspired routine and a series of strong scores, sealing the win after weeks of tangoes, salsas and foxtrots.
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin opened the final with their own set of routines, including a show dance to Rain On Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, a Paso Doble to Dream On by Aerosmith, and a jive to Proud Mary. George Clarke and Alexis Warr reprised their Paso Doble to Game of Survival by Ruelle, followed by a show dance to Human by The Killers and a Viennese Waltz to Somebody to Love by Queen. As the night unfolded, Carney and Gu stood out with consistency and crowd support, ultimately topping the public vote.
Among other highlights, the boyband Five performed a string of hits during the grand final, and most of the cast from the 2025 series returned for one more routine. One notable absence was social media personality Thomas Skinner, who posted beforehand that he believed the BBC rigged the vote; a BBC spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying Strictly's public vote is independently overseen and verified to ensure complete accuracy.
The victory capped a milestone evening that also featured the final appearances of the show’s hosts. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced earlier in the year that they would step down at the end of this series. Daly, who has presented Strictly since the show’s inception, and Winkleman, who joined in 2014 after hosting It Takes Two since 2004, delivered the show’s last live finale together. In a year that included a Queen’s tribute and messages from fans, crew and members of the cast, the hosts’ farewell marked the end of an era for the ballroom. Daly and Winkleman will return for the Christmas special on 25 December, but this was their final Strictly finale together.
As the credits rolled, Carney thanked supporters and reflected on the journey with Gu, who told her she had changed his life and urged viewers to dream big and be proud. Davies and Clarke, meanwhile, acknowledged the experience and the support of their fans, while producers hinted at a celebratory wrap-up in the Christmas special. The show’s 2025 run closes with a sense of history made and a new chapter for the franchise in the hosts’ era ahead.