The Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final is still a week away — but according to an unexpected source, the winner may already be decided.
Fans were left stunned after artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT appeared to name Karen Carney and professional partner Carlos Gu as this year’s champions, days before the glitterball trophy is officially handed out live on BBC One.
The bold prediction has sparked a frenzy online, with viewers questioning whether the result has somehow been “leaked” — or whether it’s simply an educated guess based on recent performances.
Karen and Carlos topped the leaderboard in the latest semi-final, delivering a routine that left the judges visibly emotional and drew standing ovations in the studio. Their dramatic rise throughout the series has already marked them as frontrunners, making the AI’s declaration feel uncomfortably convincing to some fans.
Of course, the Strictly final is decided live, meaning there is no possible way for any system — AI included — to know the outcome in advance. Insiders suggest the prediction is most likely based on scoring trends, audience sentiment and momentum rather than inside information.
Still in the competition are George Clarke, Amber Davies and Balvinder Sopal, with one more elimination set to take place before the grand final. Any of them could still pull off a last-minute upset when viewers’ votes come into play.
This year’s final carries extra emotional weight as it will mark the last official Strictly episode co-hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. While the pair will reunite for the pre-recorded Christmas special, next week’s show will be their final live farewell together.
Producers are planning a heartfelt tribute to the late Sir Bruce Forsyth, with archive footage set to air celebrating his early years alongside Tess. A source said it would not feel right to say goodbye without acknowledging Bruce’s legacy, revealing that rare clips show him praising Tess behind the scenes during Strictly’s formative years.
Sir Bruce died in 2017 aged 89, but his presence will once again light up the ballroom — just as speculation over Strictly’s next champion reaches fever pitch.
