David Farnor | On 02, Nov 2024

Ludwig will officially return to our screens, with BBC One ordering a second season of the crime drama.

The darkly funny series stars David Mitchell as John Ludwig Taylor, a puzzle setter whose life of solitude is upended when his identical twin, DCI James Taylor, disappears. Drafted in by his sister-in-law, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), John reluctantly assumes his brother’s identity as a detective in the Cambridge Police Authority to find clues to his brother’s whereabouts. By taking over every aspect of James’s life, Ludwig is forced to confront his own.

“David Mitchell is perfectly cast in this darkly comic crime drama about a puzzle expert trying to solve his brother’s disappearance,” we wrote in our review of Season 1.

The series was a big hit, attracting over 9.5 million viewers (28-day figure), making it the BBC’s biggest scripted show of the year to date and the largest since 2022.

Created and written by Mark Brotherhood and produced by Big Talk Studios, the show’s finale aired on Wednesday – and the Beeb promptly announced that it has already commissioned a second season, which will again be written by Mark Brotherhood.

Mitchell will return as Ludwig, alongside Anna Maxwell Martin as Lucy Betts-Taylor.

Mitchell says: “I’m delighted that John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor has failed to escape the clutches of the Cambridge police and will have to continue to face up to the city’s alarming conundrum-based crime wave.”

Kenton Allen, Executive Producer and CEO Big Talk Studios, says: “The success of Ludwig is a testament to the power of Mark Brotherhood’s sharp and intelligent storytelling combined with the phenomenal talents of David, Anna and the brilliant supporting cast. It’s no surprise to me that the show has been such a resounding hit in these uncertain times. I think audiences crave solutions to life’s problems and Ludwig’s detective skills give us all comfort in this often puzzling world.”

 

Trailer: Ludwig begins on BBC One this September

14th September 2024

BBC One is getting into puzzle-solving mode this September, with the debut of new series Ludwig – and a trailer gives us a first look at David Mitchell and the show’s star-studded cast.

Mitchell plays puzzle setter John Ludwig Taylor, whose life of solitude is upended when his identical twin, DCI James Taylor, disappears. Drafted in by his sister-in-law, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), John reluctantly assumes his brother’s identity as a detective in the Cambridge Police Authority in order to find clues to his brother’s whereabouts. By taking over every aspect of James’s life, Ludwig is forced to confront his own. Unlike Ludwig, James is no hermit; he’s a family man and a highly respected DCI within Cambridge’s busy Major Investigations Team.

Also in the cast as series regulars are Dipo Ola (Landscapers, We Hunt Together) as DI Russell Carter, Gerran Howell (Catch-22, Suspicion) as DC Simon Evans, Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point, Big Boys) as DS Alice Finch, Dylan Hughes (Malory Towers, Maternal) as Henry Betts-Taylor, Dorothy Atkinson (Mum, The Gold) as DCS Carol Shaw, Sophie Willan (Alma’s Not Normal, Time) as Holly Pinder, and Ralph Ineson (The Witch, Chernobyl) as Chief Constable Ziegler.

You can see them in action on Wednesday 25th September, when the series premieres on BBC One, with all episodes arriving at once on BBC iPlayer.

 

David Mitchell comedy Ludwig leads BBC slate

27th May 2023

Ludwig, a new detective series starring David Mitchell, is leading the BBC’s slate of new and returning comedies.

BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie unveiled 10 new and returning shows at the BBC Comedy Festival this week, highlighting the appetite for comedy among audiences – there were more than 500 million requests on BBC iPlayer last year.

Leading the line-up of upcoming comedies is Ludwig, a six-part Big Talk Studios Production in association with That Mitchell and Webb Company for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. When John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor’s (David Mitchell) identical twin, DCI James Taylor, disappears off the face of the earth, John takes over his brother’s identity in a quest to discover his whereabouts. John has never married; never had a family and never really ventured further than his own front door. Without a computer, mobile phone or even a television, he lives in quiet solitude, designing puzzles for a living, under the nom-de-plume of ‘Ludwig’. This genre bending detective series follows full-time luddite, John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, as he assumes the identity of his missing twin brother in a bid to track him down and bring him home. However, filling the shoes of your identical twin is one thing – when your twin also happens to be a successful DCI leading Cambridge’s busy inner-city major crimes team the stakes are much higher. John may be a master of all things cryptic, but can he crack the biggest puzzle of his life?

Commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy, the writer is Mark Brotherhood, the Executive Producers are Kenton Allen, Chris Sussman and Kathryn O’Connor, the Producer is Georgie Fallon. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Tanya Qureshi.

Also on the way is Spent, which stars Michelle de Swarte as Mia, a former catwalk model who is on the run, mainly from herself. Long term it’s a story of personal renewal but for now, the stark reality is that her career is over, she’s flat broke and she’s homeless. This is a woman who despite her humble beginnings has become accustomed, possibly even addicted, to the finer things in life. Unfortunately, those lifestyle choices don’t carry much currency when you’re pushing 40 and permanently sofa surfing. She may have a high falutin’ attitude and a world class skincare regime but Mia’s now living on the breadline.

The six-part VAL-TV production for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer was commissioned by Jon Petrie. It is written by Michelle De Swarte and the Executive Producers are Jack Bayles and Phil Clarke.

Mammoth is a comedy about man of his time Tony Mammoth (Mike Bubbins), a PE teacher who is presumed to have been killed in an avalanche on a school trip in 1979. When his body is discovered decades later in the present day, Mammoth is miraculously brought back from the dead and has to try and rebuild his life as a PE teacher in modern day Cardiff.

The three-part BBC Studios Comedy production for BBC Wales and BBC iPlayer is created by and starring Mike Bubbins and co-written with Paul Doolan. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie and Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning, BBC Wales. The Executive Producers are Josh Cole and Steven Canny, the Producer is Luke Mason. The BBC Commissioning Editors are Seb Barwell and Paul Forde.

Dinosaur follows Nina (Ashley Storrie), an autistic woman in her 30s who adores her life living with her sister and best friend Evie. Yet when Evie rushes into an engagement after only six weeks and makes Nina her maid of honour, Nina is floored. Forced to reconcile with her sister’s impulsive decision, Nina grapples with what this new challenge means, leading to a surprising journey of self-discovery.

The six-part Two Brothers Pictures (Fleabag, The Tourist) production for BBC Three, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer – in partnership with Hulu and All3Media International – was commissioned by Jon Petrie and Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland. It is created by Matilda Curtis and Ashley Storrie, based on an original idea by Matilda. Matilda is working alongside neurodiverse writers including Ashley Storrie. The Executive Producers are Sarah Hammond, Daniel Walker, Harry Williams, Jack Williams. Catriona Renton is Co-Executive Producer. The Director is Niamh McKeown and the Producer is Brian Coffey. The BBC Commissioning Editors are Emma Lawson and Gavin Smith.

Things You Should Have Done is a hilarious, offbeat, dysfunctional family-sitcom from the unique comedy mind of Lucia Keskin. Chi (Lucia) is a self-confessed ‘stay-at-home-daughter’. She lives a simple life; she eats crisps, makes weird vlogs and watches sitcoms, and that’s all she’s done for 20 years to be fair. But when her parents, who she is so dependent on, unexpectedly die, Chi is suddenly forced to fend for herself. Chi will inherit the house on condition she completes a list of ‘Things You Should Have Done’ left by her parents (everything from ‘Pet a dog’ to ‘Get a job’). Meanwhile Chi’s highly strung Auntie Karen (Selin Hizli) wants nothing to do with her dependent pest of a niece, but very much wants the house she feels is rightfully hers! In each episode, Chi tackles something from the list and is unleashed on the locals of Ramsgate, who bring something new to Chi’s understanding of life but leave wishing they’d never met her.

The six-part series is a Roughcut Television production for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, created and written by Lucia Keskin, the Executive Producers are Ash Atalla and Alex Smith, the Producer is Steve Monger and the Director is Jack Clough.

Returning series include Bad Education, one of BBC Three’s most successful shows with 1.1 million viewers for Season 4, back for a fifth run. Stephen (Layton Williams) and Mitchell (Charlie Wernham) continue their unique approaches to teaching whilst headteacher and control freak Ms Hoburn (Vicki Pepperdine) forever looms large. Meanwhile, Mr Fraser (Mathew Horne) continues to hang around the school kitchen.

Also returning is Avoidance, starring Romesh Ranganathan, a series about living your life avoiding conflict, avoiding making decisions and avoiding the mess that causes. If Season 1 was about a break-up and rebuilding a broken home, Season 2 is about falling in love, messy reconciliation and a baby.

Diane Morgan’s iconic character Mandy returns for a third six-part season, once again written by, directed by and starring Morgan. Will she ever get to breed the Dobermans of her dreams?

After an award-winning three part pilot run last year, BBC Three’s Peacock returns for a six part series starring Allan ‘Seapa’ Mustafa (People Just Do Nothing, The Curse) as the eponymous Andy Peacock – personal trainer and man out of time. Now the proud owner of a body-positive fitness business and in an actual adult relationship, Andy’s life is on the up. Only his ego can mess things up now…

And, finally, Ellie White and Natasia Demetriou return for a second season of their sketch show Ellie and Natasia, featuring characters such as the coffee spotters, the Brothers Pomodoro and a girl with a pixie haircut.

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