Abbey Clancy Crowned 'Strictly Come Dancing' 2013 Winner

Abbey Clancy was named the winner of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday (21 Dec.) night, earning her and professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec the glitter ball trophy. Clancy emerged victorious from an all-female final, beting actress Natalie Gumede, newsreader Susanna Reid and singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor to the grand prize.

Clancy and ex-Corrie star Natalie Gumede were the best performers on the night

BBC Breakfast presenter Reid had been the bookie's favourite to take home the award, but after a valiant display from Clancy in the final episode of the season, the viewers at home voted Mrs Peter Crouch to be the Dancing Queen, also preventing Reid from being the third BBC presenter to win the contest. Clancy later called Strictly "the most perfect experience I've had" and her professional partner Skorjanec, who made his debut on the series this season, said: "I can't believe this; it's just mad."

Clancy took home the glitter bal trophy on he back of her quickstep to Karina and the Waves' 'Walking on Sunshine,' earning 38 points from the judges and earning the winning share of what the BBC estimated was six million votes cast by the public. The corporation were unwilling to give a breakdown of how the votes were split, meaning we don't know by how many votes Clancy won, or who came third or second. Sophie Ellis-Bextor came fourth though, being eliminated from the show at the start of the second half of the evening's entertainment.

Ellis-Bextor and Reid weren't at their best on the night

Bextor's Viennese Waltz wasn't good enough to secure her a place in the grand final, whilst Reid seemed as though she had been struck by nerves before the show, although her 14-revolution spin around the neck of her dance partner Kevin Clifton did take some stones. Coronation Street star Gumede wowed throughout the night and made sure it was a two horse race between her and Clancy for much of the final. Her cha-cha to Boney M's 'Rasputin' was singled out for praise in particular by head judge Len Goodman, telling her: "Excellence is never a fluke. Excellence comes from hard work and dedication and sweating. And I can tell you, that was excellent."

But it was Clancy who came home as the victor, being completely shocked by how the final voting swayed in her favour.

"I feel so lucky. The fact everyone's voted for us to win... it's just surreal," the model and presenter told the BBC after the final. Upon accepting her award she was embraced by husband Peter Crouch, who had bagged himself a Man of the Match performance for Stoke City earlier in the day, and went home feeling overwhelmed. Coming into the competition as a complete novice, Clancy won through grit and determination, not to mention plenty of effort. Congratulations Abbey and Aljaz! You deserved it!

Congratulations Abbey and Aljaz!