set statistics io,time off

DROP TABLE latestrecords ;
GO
CREATE TABLE latestrecords
(
Id int,
Email varchar(200),
Customer_FirstName varchar(200),
Status varchar(200),
RecordTimestamp DATETIME
)
GO

The imperfect index definition is a drag on the first query, requiring a sort of all rows.  Correcting the index definition:

DROP INDEX IX_latestrecords_1 ON latestrecords;
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX...

Not enough details to get specific, but in very general terms, I would likely go with a new option.

Keep the existing tables to do the current logging, but...

Consider using system views such as sys.dm_db_index_operational_stats. Presumably you know at least the db(s) in which the code operates, although hopefully object names as well (or at least most...

Wouldn't you want to do that the other way?  That is, find rows where the previous row matches the next row -- i.e. no column changed -- so you could...

Use MS's free tool "tablediff.exe" and let them do this work for you, and fully tested already!  Unfortunately quirky to get working initially, but works well after that, and it's...

I didn't have any data to test with, but I'm reasonably sure my sort order is correct.  As I think you've since discovered, the rows get out of order outside...

;WITH cte_EarliestShowDates AS (
  SELECT Show, MIN(Date) AS EarliestShowDate
  FROM dbo.TableName
  GROUP BY Show
)
SELECT TN.*
FROM dbo.TableName TN
INNER JOIN cte_EarliestShowDates CESD...