Kyle Shilling has danced his way into the history books and Australia’s hearts after being crowned winner of this season’s Dancing With The Stars.
The Home and Away actor brought the house down on Monday night with a stirring final routine performed with dance partner Lily Cornish, earning them a perfect score and thunderous applause. The pair’s bold, culture-rich performance to Mo’ju’s Native Tongue featured Kyle playing the didgeridoo, leaving the judges in awe.
Veteran judge Helen Richey was moved to call it “one of the best performances” she’s seen in the show’s history – high praise in a finale full of standout moments.
As confetti rained down, a visibly emotional Kyle accepted the Mirror Ball trophy, reflecting on the journey with humility and pride.
“I’m feeling mixed emotions as it’s come to an end,” he said. “We built such a strong family here and you can see all the beautiful people behind us. It’s amazing to be able to stand here and hold this trophy, knowing all the hard work we put in has paid off.”
In addition to the win, Kyle was awarded $20,000 for his chosen charity, the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a cause close to his heart.
But the night wasn’t just about the winners; it was a celebration of all the finalists and their incredible journeys.
Felicity Ward and Aric Yegudkin kicked off the evening with a turbo-charged quickstep-lindy hop combo, earning cheers and praise from Helen, who called her “a joy to watch”.
Michael Usher and Natalie Lowe brought Latin heat to the floor, with judge Mark Wilson acknowledging Michael’s consistent growth throughout the season.
Trent Cotchin and Jess Raffa tugged at heartstrings with a contemporary piece Craig Revel Horwood described as “strong and layered”.
Brittany Hockley and Craig Monley’s emotional performance, dedicated to Brittany’s husband, ended with her signing “thank you” in Auslan, a moving nod to Craig, who is deaf in one ear. Sharna Burgess called the routine “stunning”.
Capping off the competition with razzle-dazzle, Shaun Micallef and Ash-Leigh Hunter wowed with a showbiz-inspired number that had Sharna declaring the entertainment “through the roof”.
Before the final vote, Grammy Award winner and The Voice coach Richard Marx delivered a show-stopping live set, performing his iconic hit Right Here Waiting and new single Magic Hour.
In the end, it was Kyle and Lily who stood tall, narrowly edging out Shaun and Ash-Leigh to take the crown.
Final leaderboard:
- Kyle Shilling & Lily Cornish – 40
- Shaun Micallef & Ash-Leigh Hunter – 37
- Trent Cotchin & Jess Raffa – 35
- Felicity Ward & Aric Yegudkin – 33
- Brittany Hockley & Craig Monley – 32
- Michael Usher & Natalie Lowe – 28
A champion performance and a night to remember… Dancing With The Stars 2025 certainly went out with a bang!
Images: Instagram
