Ludwig returning to BBC One for a third series

The news comes ahead of series two airing later this year.

Ahead of series two airing later this year, BBC One has confirmed that its hit comedy Ludwig will return for a third series, with David Mitchell returning as ‘Ludwig', alongside Anna Maxwell Martin as Lucy Betts-Taylor, the wife of John's missing brother James.

The first series was the biggest launch for a comedy on the BBC since at least 2018, attracting 9.5 million viewers after 28 days.

Ahead of the show's return, David Mitchell said "I am delighted that Ludwig will be returning to solve more of Mark Brotherhood’s brilliant mysteries. I can’t wait to get started and have renewed the subscription on my denouement-learning app."

To which Executive Producer and CEO of Big Talk Studios, Kenton Allen added "Ludwig has become one of those rare shows that genuinely cuts through — critically, commercially and internationally. 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."

And the BBC's Director of Comedy Commissioning, Jon Petrie, said "Ludwig is exactly the kind of smart, distinctive, audience-pleasing show we love at BBC Comedy. Sharp writing, a compelling story, big laughs and, naturally, a generous helping of puzzles. The team at Big Talk have crafted something truly distinctive and much-loved, and we’re excited to see what mysteries Ludwig tackles next."

Written by Mark Brotherhood, Ludwig is made by Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios, in collaboration with That Mitchell And Webb Company, and is a ZDF co-production for Germany.

The third series will be directed by Chris Foggin, series produced by Anthony Wilcox, produced by Anya Wilson and executive produced by Kenton Allen and Toby Welch for Big Talk Studios, Mark Brotherhood, David Mitchell, Kathryn O’Connor and Chris Sussman.

Ludwig will return this August on BBC One