She defied all expectations to make it through to the Dancing With The Stars final, but last night Bristol Palin's luck finally ran out.

The 20-year-old was beaten by rival Jennifer Grey, a cancer survivor, and partner Derek Hough, who had consistently topped the judges' leader-board throughout the season.

Shedding tears of joy, she said: 'It's such a sweet thing at the end of such a tricky tumultuous journey and it was worth every second of it It was the chance of a lifetime and I'm so grateful that I didn't miss it.'

Asked what she would miss most about the show, Grey replied simply: 'Dancing.'

The pair's win has made Derek Hough the first and only three-time champion of Dancing With The Stars, after previously winning the competition with Nicole Scherzinger earlier this year and with Brooke Burke in 2008.

Sarah Palin's daughter came in third place behind runner-up, Disney star Kyle Massey, 19.