Tom Chambers has been crowned winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2008, after beating Rachel Stevens and Lisa Snowdon in the final. The Holby City star - who had been the bookies' favourite to win - danced his way to victory after performing a foxtrot, a salsa and a Viennese Waltz, as well as his final showdance with partner Camilla Dallerup. And unsurprisingly he was thrilled at the news - and was quick to pay tribute to his wife Clare, whom he wed midway through the series. "I can't believe how jammy I am to have married you in the first place," he said afterwards, "and I can't wait to be a newly wed." "But tonight is about you," he told Camilla, "because you absolutely deserve this more than anyone." Tom was the only finalist who did not score full marks in the first part of the show, but he won raves from the judges for his showdance in the second part. Runner-up Rachel Stevens said she had "had the best time of my life" on the show - and also thanked her dance partner Vincent Simone. "Everyone has been amazing," she added, "and Vincent, I've adored dancing with you." Chambers finished bottom of the scoreboard in the first part of the show, with Snowdon scoring a maximum 80 out of 80 for her two routines and Stevens just behind on 79. However, he won rave reviews from the judges for his showdance, the final routine of the evening, to the classic song If They Could See Me Now. "That wasn't just brilliant for an amateur, that was brilliant for a professional," Arlene Phillips told him, while Len Goodman said, "I loved it, I was smiling the whole way through. Chambers' win is also a victory for Camilla Dallerup, who has taken part in all six series of the show but never progressed beyond the semi-final. The final also featured performances from former champions Alesha Dixon, Jill Halfpenny, Darren Gough and Mark Ramprakash, as well as singer Duffy. The celebrities who had been eliminated earlier on in the series also appeared during the show to perform a routine, with the exception of model Jodie Kidd, who was unwell.
