Who Won Dancing With the Stars Australia 2025

We all remember the grand showcase of emotion when actors literally give their all on the dancefloor to put on a breathtaking performance. Kyle Shilling, an actor from Home and Away, demonstrated this on the dancefloor with Lily Cornish during the Australia edition of Dancing with the Stars grand finale of 2025. The performance evoked an emotional and raw experience, and was nothing short of stunning. 

Season Overview and Finalists

The season premiere of 22 was on 7 channel and 7plus in June of 2025, with the channel kicking off on June 15, 2025. In this season, 12 celebrities participated, with six of them making it to the Grand Finale which was held on August 4.

• Kyle Shilling & Lily Cornish  
• Felicity Ward & Aric Yegudkin  
• Shaun Micallef & Ash‑Leigh Hunter  
• Michael Usher & Natalie Lowe  
• Trent Cotchin & Jessica Raffa  
• Brittany Hockley & Craig Monley  

What was most impressive to most of us was how Kyle was the head of the judges’ leaderboard for most of the season and achieving a score of 40 in Episode 6 which was also the season’s first perfect score. 

Finale Night: Kyle’s Perfect Freestyle

The finale was broadcasted on August 4, 2025 which was on a Monday and as a live broadcast at 7:30 with the logies being pushed. As the rest of the finalists, Kyle and Lily also had their freestyle dances and their performance to Native Tongue by Mo’Ju was simply the best.

The panel of adjudicators scored them a 40 out of 40 and they received no criticism. Craig Revel Horwood remarked it was “one of the best performances” he’d ever seen and Helen Richey remarked upon its sociological and ethnological importance and emotional expression. It was like more than dance — a narrative unfolded before the audience.

I believe Kyle’s victory was not solely based on the physicality of dance; its significance also played a role. It was a commemoration of the Indigenous culture and it resonated on an emotional level with many. The adjudicators regarded it as a solemn and graceful tribute and called it breathtaking culture. It was not merely flawless technique, but culture and emotion.

Moreover, this win also created an impact in the area of literacy, where $10,000 was awarded to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, thus, further deepening the community impact of the win.

Kyle’s season was a mixture of exciting and not boring. Multiple times he finished near the top, and later on in the season he had an off week in episode 8 where he scored a 29 in the semis but was still getting strong support from the judges for the finals. At the same time, Felicity Ward had received strong support from the judges in the previous rounds with a salsa, scoring 33. Shaun Micallef was entertaining yet still presented a solid performance through the semis. There was so much creative variety this season.

Evaluated by a mix of audience voting and judge scores, Kyle’s lead throughout gave him an edge heading into the finals. Fans had placed bets early — Sportsbet odds tipped Kyle as favorite well before the finale aired.  

Fan Reactions & Social Buzz  

Scrolling social media after the finale, I saw people comment on how emotional and touching the finale was.  

“Best finale I’ve seen in years.”  

“That dance made me cry – just beautiful.”  

Social media was flooded with reactions, but Kyle's co-stars had also shared how proud they felt, behind the scenes. This was overshadowed by the online applause and it was impossible not to sense the emotional tide on Instagram, TikTok and beyond. Performance clips were shared widely within a short period of time, highlighting the deep impact they had.  

What’s Next For Kyle & Lily?  

Kyle is at an all time high, as he not only won, but also won it with heart and flair. Lily Cornish continues to impress as one of the leading professionals on DWTS. I suspect we will see more of them at charity appearances and in guest dance spots throughout the country.  

And, we all hope, more focus in the entertainment world on Indigenous narratives. This was a triumph. It felt more than winning the Mirrorball — it was winning a statement.

Summary: Reasons Behind This Win Unforgettable

Remarkable accomplishment in DWTS Australia 2025 received a perfect score in freestyle routine.  

As one of the season’s best performances, emotional feedback intertwined with culture.  

Judges’ score award combined with viewer votes demonstrated both public and expert affirmation.  

Their charity contribution to Indigenous Literacy Foundation received added significance.