Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has shared a moving tribute to her co-star Carlos Gu and his celebrity partner Karen Carney, following their historic win in the 2025 final.
A Heartfelt Instagram Celebration
The Welsh dancer, who was forced to withdraw from the current series due to undergoing a second mastectomy, took to Instagram to celebrate the new champions. She expressed immense pride in their achievement and highlighted Carlos Gu's significant personal journey throughout the competition.
Amy Dowden wrote: "They did it! What a night. All finalists were incredible! Congrats all!" She affectionately referred to Carlos as her "darling brother," stating she was "so proud" of him.
She continued, praising his development: "I know how much you’ve loved this series, you’ve learnt, grown and shown your true authentic self!" Addressing Karen Carney directly, Amy added: "Kaz you shone, thank you for being you, beautiful dancing but a wonderful soul! So happy for you both! Our new 2025 champions."
Reflecting on a Transformative Journey
The tribute follows an emotional confession made by Carlos Gu during the live final on Saturday, 21st December 2025. He reflected candidly on why he was not given a celebrity partner in the 2024 series.
Carlos admitted that when he first joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 after a competitive dance career, he was "self-centred." He stated: "I was me, me, me.... no wonder I didn't get a partner last year because I'm not grateful." He was partnered with Molly Rainford in his debut year.
He then credited Karen Carney with teaching him invaluable life lessons, saying she "taught me how to be a kind, humble person and for the first time I learned to be a team player. I'm never a team player which I'm so sad about it." Host Claudia Winkleman was quick to reassure him, saying: "You've always been a team player, you have, and we love you and your partnership is everything."
A Bond Forged Backstage
Amy Dowden also revealed the depth of her friendship with Carlos, recalling supportive conversations they shared during the previous series. She provided context for her belief in his future success.
"Last year Carlos and I would sit and get quite emotional many nights and I used to tell him 2025 sounds like a good year and I was right, what a year," Amy explained. She concluded her post by thanking the BBC Strictly team "for another incredible series and for supporting me through and through."
The win marks a triumphant climax to a series filled with standout performances, and underscores a powerful story of personal growth and partnership both on and off the dance floor.
