The professional dancers on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing (UK) are competing for an official Guinness World Records title, as well as the show’s coveted glitterball trophy with their celebrity partners.

The sixth Strictly Pro Challenge is taking place on BBC 2's spin off show It Takes Two, every weeknight at 6.30pm GMT, for the next three weeks (UK only).

AJ Pritchard, Gorka Marquez and Aljaz Skorjanec kicked off the competition, after viewers found out the record the pros would be attempting was the Most Charleston swivel steps in 30 seconds – a fiendishly difficult record that requires the challenger to step forward and back while swivelling their heels inwards on each step, as many times as possible.

The move, which is the foundation of the popular Charleston dance, requires speed and precision – but for this Guinness World Records attempt the dancers need to perform the step faster than they’ve ever done it before.

You can watch more of the attempts on the show's YouTube channel.

Which dancers are up next?

Monday 4 December - Pasha Kovalev

Tuesday 5 December - Brendan Cole

Wednesday 6 December - Neil Jones

Thursday 7 December - Karen Clifton

Friday 8 December - Anton Du Beke, Giovanni Pernice, Janette Manrara

The winner (and hopefully new record holder) will be announced on Friday 8 December.

As we await the results, here’s a look back at some of the Guinness World Records titles that have been set by Strictly Come Dancing professionals in the past.

2016: Last year professional dancer Giovanni Pernice (Italy) achieved the Most jive kicks and flicks in 30 seconds with 55.

2014: The Most New Yorkers in 30 seconds by a team of two is 39 and was achieved by Karen Clifton (Venezuela) and Aljaž Škorjanec (Slovenia). 

A "New Yorker" is a 5 step Latin dance sequence that is performed in a pair. The sequence begins in closed position or in a two hand hold and alternates from a left to right/right to left side-by-side position via a chasse.

2013: On 22 Nov 2013, Strictly newcomer Kevin Clifton achieved an unbeaten 77 “drunken sailor” steps in 30 sec – the Most drunken sailor dance steps in 30 seconds

This is a three-step sequence, so Kevin actually completed 231 separate moves at nearly four per second!

Most drunken sailor dance steps in 30 seconds

2012: The second Pro Challenge was for the Most jive kick ball changes in 30 seconds. The title was achieved by Italian Flavia Cacace at the BBC Television Centre in London with an impressive total of 76.

2011: Artem Chigvintsev from Russia won the first ever Pro Challenge after achieving the Most botafogo dance steps in 30 seconds on the set of Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two. His record remains unbeaten at 79.

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two airs on BBC 2 (UK) at 6.30pm GMT today (Wednesday 22 November).

Guinness World Records Strictly Pro Challenge 2016