George Clarke has spoken out for the first time after narrowly missing out on the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 glitterball, admitting that finishing second has been “hard to come to terms with” — even as he described the experience as life-changing.
The 26-year-old content creator took to Instagram on Sunday, a day after the emotional BBC final, where he and professional partner Alexis Warr were beaten to the title by former England footballer Karen Carney and her partner Carlos Gu.
Sharing a photo of himself and Alexis on the dance floor, George admitted the end of the journey had hit him harder than the loss itself. He said the night was “a lot to process”, not because he didn’t walk away with the glitterball, but because “the journey is done — and that’s hard to come to terms with”.
George went on to thank his family, friends, girlfriend and online followers, saying the show had made him realise just how strong his support network really is. He described Strictly as “a hell of an experience” and said he had learned “so, so much” about himself along the way.
Despite building a career in front of the camera, George confessed he is not comfortable being the centre of attention and knew from the outset that Strictly would push him far outside his comfort zone. In the early weeks, he admitted he feared he had “bitten off more than I could chew”, with every routine feeling alien and impossible compared to his competitors.
Much of his gratitude was reserved for Alexis, whom he credited with shaping him not just as a dancer, but as a person. George said his professional partner made up “99 per cent of the process”, adding that the past four months had been the most formative of his life. He explained that Alexis helped him find belief in himself, something that went far beyond choreography.
He praised her not only as an incredible dancer and choreographer, but as a wonderful person, revealing that their lifts and partnering — often praised by judges — were rooted in genuine trust and friendship. He also highlighted how she arrived on the show as the “new girl” with something to prove, choosing to prove herself through him rather than by showing off.
Reflecting on the final itself, George said he ended the night performing three wildly different dances — routines he “wouldn’t have had a chance in hell” of completing at the start of the series. He admitted he not only improved, but genuinely loved performing, something he never expected to feel.
George also paid tribute to hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, calling it a privilege to be part of their final series after 21 years at the helm. He described the Strictly family as uplifting and positive, saying everyone involved had been a “breath of fresh air” in his life.
In a gracious nod to the winners, George said many contestants would have been worthy champions, but that he was happy to see “a particularly impressive woman on and off the dance floor” take the title.
He ended his post by revealing plans to rest for a few weeks — though he teased that he hopes to continue dancing in some form, even if his body is “on standby until 2026”.
