The BBC clearly does not need a puzzle-solving app to work out that it has a hit on its hands, as ‘Ludwig’ has officially been renewed for Series 3 before the second series has even aired.
David Mitchell (Peep Show, Back) will return as the socially awkward puzzle-setter turned accidental detective John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, alongside Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, Line Of Duty) as Lucy Betts-Taylor, the wife of John’s missing identical twin brother, James.
The six-part third series has been ordered ahead of the highly anticipated return of ‘Ludwig’ for its second run later this year on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
The early renewal is not entirely surprising. The first series became the BBC’s biggest scripted series launch since 2024 and the broadcaster’s biggest comedy launch since at least 2018, attracting 9.5 million viewers within 28 days. The opening episode has continued to find an audience since then, rising to 11.8 million viewers.
“I am delighted that Ludwig will be returning to solve more of Mark Brotherhood’s brilliant mysteries,” said Mitchell. “I can’t wait to get started and have renewed the subscription on my denouement-learning app.”
Created and written by Mark Brotherhood, ‘Ludwig’ follows reclusive puzzle-setter John Taylor, whose quiet life is turned upside down when his identical twin brother, James, mysteriously disappears.
In an attempt to discover what happened to him, John assumes James’s identity. Unfortunately, James is not another reclusive puzzle obsessive. He is a highly respected DCI leading a Major Investigations Team in Cambridge, leaving John trying to solve murders while pretending to be a senior police officer.
Luckily, John’s ability to see the world as a puzzle turns out to be rather useful when faced with seemingly impossible crimes.
Series 2 sees Mitchell and Maxwell Martin returning alongside Dipo Ola (Landscapers, We Hunt Together), Gerran Howell (Catch-22, Suspicion), Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point, Big Boys), Dylan Hughes (Malory Towers, Maternal) and Dorothy Atkinson (Mum, The Gold).
The new run also adds Mark Bonnar (Guilt, Shetland) and Sian Clifford (Fleabag, Quiz) as new series regulars.
“Ludwig has become one of those rare shows that genuinely cuts through — critically, commercially and internationally,” said Kenton Allen, Executive Producer and CEO of Big Talk Studios. “We’re hugely grateful to the BBC, ZDF and ITV Studios for the confidence they’ve shown in greenlighting a third season ahead of the launch of series two.
“What Mark Brotherhood has created is brilliantly original, hugely entertaining and deceptively distinctive in the way it blends smart comedy with a richly satisfying detective engine. At the heart of that success is the remarkable partnership between David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, brought to life by an exceptional creative team. In a crowded global market, for audiences to have embraced Ludwig on this scale feels incredibly special. There’s clearly nothing puzzling about that.”
Series 3 will once again consist of six hour-long episodes, written by Brotherhood, with Chris Foggin (Bank Of Dave, Fisherman’s Friends) serving as lead director.
The series is produced by Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios, in association with That Mitchell And Webb Company, with ZDF co-producing for Germany.
Kenton Allen and Toby Welch executive produce for Big Talk Studios alongside Mark Brotherhood, David Mitchell, Kathryn O’Connor and Chris Sussman. Claus Wunn and Frank Seyberth executive produce for ZDF. Anthony Wilcox serves as series producer, with Anya Wilson as producer.
There is no premiere date yet for Series 3, while ‘Ludwig’ Series 2 will air later this year on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. If I want to keep track of this or any other shows, I can add them via our Never Miss system, and I’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss
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