Former footballer Karen Carney led Strictly Come Dancing 2025 with a 31-score jive debut.

Strictly Come Dancing returned on September 27, 2025, with its live shows kicking off the season as former England women’s footballer Karen Carney, partnered with Carlos Gu, earned a top score of 31 for her jive to Blondie’s “One Way Or Another,” becoming the first footballer in 18 years to lead the leaderboard. Her dynamic performance drew praise from judges and fans, with host Tess Daly expressing surprise and admiration. Other standout routines included actor Lewis Cope and Katya Jones scoring 28, and Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin earning 27 despite a last-minute replacement. The episode featured 15 new celebrity-pro dancer pairs, with no eliminations, and set an energetic tone for the season ahead.