In a glittering and emotionally charged finale, former England footballer Karen Carney and her professional partner Carlos Gu have been crowned the champions of Strictly Come Dancing 2025.
A Night of Historic Firsts for Strictly
The victory on Saturday 21 December 2025 was a landmark moment for the BBC One show. Karen Carney made history by becoming the first footballer ever to win the coveted glitterball trophy. Meanwhile, Carlos Gu secured his own place in the record books as the first openly gay and Asian male professional to claim the title.
The pair triumphed over fellow finalists, West End actress Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke. An overwhelmed Carney told the studio audience: “I can’t believe it. I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our journey.” She paid tribute to Gu, calling him a “wonderful gentleman” and stating, “we are a team and I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Gu, visibly moved, thanked the former Lioness midfielder, telling her: “You changed my life.” He also sent a message of encouragement to viewers: “To the girls and boys watching at home, dream big and be proud and never give up.”
An Emotional Farewell to Iconic Hosts
The final was doubly poignant as it marked the last live weekend show co-hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The presenting duo announced their departure back in October. A pre-recorded video tribute featured messages from fans, friends, and celebrities including TV cook Mary Berry.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood read a touching message sent by the Queen, which praised the hosts' partnership and described the warmth they radiated as being “at the heart of the show’s success.” The note concluded with the Queen’s signature encouragement: “Keeeeeeeep dancing!”
Both Daly and Winkleman were emotional. Daly said: “Thank you so much to you all for your lovely words, it has meant the world.” Winkleman added: “It’s been an absolute privilege to spend our weekends with you.” The pair will make one final appearance together in a pre-recorded Strictly festive special airing on Christmas Day.
Show-Stopping Routines Seal the Victory
During the final, each couple performed three dances. Carney and Gu’s standout performance was their Peaky Blinders-inspired Argentine tango to ‘Red Right Hand’ by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, which earned a perfect score of 40 from the judges. Head judge Shirley Ballas called it “one of my favourite numbers that I’ve ever seen.”
Their showdance to ‘Inner Smile’ by Texas scored 37 points. They then delivered a crowd-pleasing, football-themed jive to Blondie’s ‘One Way Or Another’ as their favourite dance, which again received a perfect 40. Judge Anton Du Beke praised Carney’s “infectious personality.”
The 144-cap former England international, who retired in 2019 and now works as a broadcaster and podcast host, was clearly a popular winner. The victory follows last year’s historic win by comedian Chris McCausland, the first blind contestant to lift the glitterball.
