Ludwig returning to BBC One this Christmas with its first festive special

Starring Sir David Suchet as a murder suspect!

BBC One has announced that Ludwig, which is currently airing its second series ahead of a confirmed third series, will return later this year with its first-ever Christmas special.

David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin will return as John 'Ludwig' Taylor and Lucy Betts-Taylor, and will be joined by an all-star cast including Sir David Suchet, Jason Flemyng, Joe Wilkinson, Cathy Tyson, Alexandra Roach and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.

Set in Yorkshire, the Christmas episode sees John, Lucy and Henry arrive at a remote Christmas-themed hotel for what should have been a much-needed escape, when a sudden blackout turns the festivities into a locked-room murder mystery.

Trapped by a blizzard and cut off from the outside world, the guests must spend the night with a killer in their midst. With John reluctantly pulled into one of his strangest puzzles yet, the race is on for the Taylors to solve the crime before Christmas.

The actor behind one of television’s most famous detectives, Hercule Poirot, has the tables turned, with Sir David Suchet taking on the role of a murder suspect in this Christmas episode.

Speaking ahead of the Christmas special, David Mitchell said "I have long been a huge admirer of Sir David Suchet’s work and have watched every episode of Poirot several times, so it was a dream come true for me when he agreed to appear in the Ludwig Christmas Special. He was an absolute joy to work and spend time with - funny, interesting and generous - and his performance in the programme is wonderful."

To which Sir David Suchet added "It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside David Mitchell and the wonderful ensemble cast. It made quite the refreshing change to be playing a suspect rather than the detective, and to sit comfortably in my armchair while David delivered the denouement. I had a thoroughly enjoyable time."

Returning alongside David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin will be Dylan Hughes as Henry Betts-Taylor and Dipo Ola as DCI Russell Carter. Other guest stars include Rebekah Staton, Claire Price, Ariella Glaser, and George Rainsford.

Made by Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios, in collaboration with That Mitchell and Webb Company, and in co-production with BritBox and ZDF, Ludwig is written and created by Mark Brotherhood, directed by Chris Foggin, who is also directing the third series, which is now in production, produced by Georgie Fallon, with Anya Wilson serving as co-producer

And it's executive produced by Kenton Allen and Toby Welch for Big Talk Studios, Mark Brotherhood, David Mitchell, Kathryn O’Connor and Chris Sussman; Robert Schildhouse and Stephen Nye for BritBox; Claus Wunn and Frank Seyberth executive produce for ZDF.

Ludwig will return this Christmas on BBC One