Caroline Flack scores three perfect 40s on way to winning Strictly

TV presenter Caroline Flack and her professional partner Pasha Kovalev have been voted winners of Strictly Come Dancing 2014.

The BBC reports that pop stars Frankie Bridge and Simon Webbe were runners-up in the ballroom contest, while TV host Mark Wright was eliminated earlier.

Caroline was also the judges' favourite with three perfect scores of 40, a first for a Strictly final.

After lifting the glitterball trophy, she said that it was "the best experience of my whole life".

Flack added after her victory: "I still can't believe it's happening. It doesn't feel real in any way."

Pasha Kovalev said of his partner: "I think we became real friends and I hope we will stay real friends. I could not imagine a better partner."

All four competitors had the chance to perform their freestyle 'showstopping' dance, with Caroline and Pasha's ambitious and theatrical routine winning high praise from the judging panel.

They also excelled in a Cha Cha Cha routine reprised from an earlier performance in the series, and chose to repeat a cheeky Turkish-themed Charleston which won them top marks.

Simon and partner Kristina Rihanoff also gained high scores for both their initial performances, and were awarded a 40 for their Argentine Tango.

Mark and Karen Hauer did not have the chance to perform their favourite dance

All four couples performed a routine from the early stage of the competition picked by judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Darcey Bussell and Craig Revel Horwood in the first part of the live final.

Each couple were able improve the scores of routines first showcased in the initial weeks of the contest.

At the beginning of Saturday's second show, former The Only Way is Essex star Wright was announced as the contestant with the fewest viewer votes.

He was also the least highly-regarded by the judges, scoring 35 for both of his performances.

On leaving the show, he said that Strictly Come Dancing was 'the best thing that anyone can ever do... I'm never going to forget it, ever."

Saturdays star Frankie and her partner Kevin Clifton were asked by the judges to reprise a Samba

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.