Who is Karen Carney? Fourteenth Celebrity for Strictly Come Dancing 2025

Former England football star Karen Carney was confirmed as the fourteenth celebrity in Strictly Come Dancing 2025. The news was shared on Vernon Kay’s BBC Radio 2 show, guest-hosted by Gary Davies.

The popular BBC series will return this September on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Karen Carney is one of the most celebrated names in English football. She played for Chelsea, Arsenal, Birmingham City, and the England national team. With 144 caps, she is England’s third most-capped player. She took part in four World Cups, four European Championships, and the London 2012 Olympics before retiring in 2019.

After retiring, Karen became a top football pundit. She now works for TNT Sports and ITV, covering both men’s and women’s matches. In 2022, she made history as part of the first all-female panel to analyse a men’s World Cup match. She also led ITV’s coverage of the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain.

Karen played a key role in women’s football development. In 2022, she led a government review into the sport’s future. The government accepted all her recommendations in 2023. She also hosted ITV’s Leaders of the Pack, where she spoke to leading figures in the women’s game.

Her achievements have been recognised with top honours. She was awarded an MBE in 2017 and an OBE in 2024 for her services to football.

Karen also co-hosts the Long Story Short podcast with her close friend and former England teammate Jill Scott. The podcast mixes humour and stories from their football days.

Speaking about joining Strictly, Karen said: “It really is a dream come true to be a part of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing line up. I’m such a huge fan of the show and I can’t believe I’m finally getting the chance to take part. I’m so excited to meet everyone and get dancing!”