All the world records tied to Strictly Come Dancing as show undergoes major shake-up
It’s time to keeeeep dancing, because Strictly Come Dancing is back on UK TV!
The show is back for its 24th season, with lots of changes in the line-up.
After Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down as hosts, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicome and Johannes Radebe, a former professional on the show, have stepped in to run proceedings.
The judging panel remains the same – with head judge Shirley Ballas returning alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, another of the show’s former pros.
As it returns to BBC One this weekend (19 September), let’s take a look at all the records tied to the show and its stars.
Late legendary TV presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth presented the show, alongside Tess, for the first 11 seasons, and after 76 years in the biz, he claimed the record for longest TV career by an entertainer (male). He was on TV from 1939 until his retirement in 2015. He died in 2017 at the age of 89.
Tess earned a record of her own too.
In 2025, she became the longest-serving host of the same dance competition TV show after 21 years 224 days on Strictly.
And breaking world records has become bit of a tradition on spin-off show It Takes Two, with the professional dancers momentarily stepping away from their celebrity partners to take on a challenge of their own.
In 2012, Flavia Cacace (Italy) claimed the record for most jive kick ball changes in 30 seconds with a total of 76.
The following year, Kevin Clifton (UK) performed the most drunken sailor dance steps in 30 seconds: 77.
Karen Hauer (Venezuela) and Aljaž Škorjanec (Slovenia) teamed up in 2014 to break the record for most New Yorkers in 30 seconds by a team of two. They did 39.
Read about more records broken by celebrities and TV shows in our Arts and Entertainment section.
In 2018, it was the turn of Oti Mabuse (South Africa), sister of judge Motsi. With a total of 48, she performed the most jive toe heel swivel steps in 30 seconds.
Graziano De Prima (Italy) took the record for most Botafogo dance steps in 30 seconds with a total of 90 in 2019. He took the record from fellow pro Artem Chigvintsev (Russia), who’d done 79 in 2011.
In 2021, Nadiya Bychkova (Ukraine) did the most patacake dance steps in 30 seconds: 38, and in 2022, Amy Dowden (UK) did the most Back Charleston kick steps in 30 seconds: 19.
Lauren Oakley (UK) performed the most pendulum dance steps in 30 seconds in 2023 – a total of 15.
And in 2025, Neil Jones (UK) teamed up with Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley (UK), his partner on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, to take the record for most Christmas crackers pulled in one minute by a team of two. They managed 72.
Will more records be claimed this year?
The celebrities hitting the dancefloor this time around include EastEnders star Lacey Turner, Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton and Love Island star Dani Dyer.
Header image: Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe pose with glitterballs. Credit: BBC/Ray Burmiston.