The BBC has confirmed that David Mitchell’s comedy-drama Ludwig will return for a third series, even before its eagerly awaited second season premieres
Ludwig: Official BBC trailer
The BBC has announced that David Mitchell’s popular comedy-drama Ludwig will be back for a third series.
Even before its highly anticipated second season launches later this year. The detective programme, which is ideal for fans of Death In Paradise, has become the broadcaster’s most successful scripted show since 2024, leading executives to commission another run for both BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Made by Big Talk Studios, in partnership with That Mitchell and Webb Company, the series is also a co-production with Germany’s ZDF. The programme’s first series proved an enormous ratings triumph, becoming the BBC’s most successful comedy debut since at least 2018, reports the Express.
Its initial run drew 9.5 million viewers within its first 28 days, while the opening episode has steadily grown its audience, achieving an impressive 11.8 million viewers in total.
Created and penned by Mark Brotherhood, the six-part mystery features David Mitchell as the unconventional puzzle-enthusiast detective Ludwig, with Anna Maxwell Martin portraying Lucy Betts-Taylor, the wife of the missing James Betts-Taylor. Both performers are confirmed to return to their roles when the series comes back.
Expressing his delight at the third series commission, actor David Mitchell told the BBC: “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.”
Meanwhile, Kenton Allen, Executive Producer and CEO of Big Talk Studios, said: “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.”
He went on to say: “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.”
Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy Commissioning, added: “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.”
Ludwig is produced by Big Talk Studios in collaboration with That Mitchell and Webb Company for the BBC. The third series, comprising six hour-long episodes, will once again be penned by creator Mark Brotherhood, with Chris Foggin returning to helm the show as lead director.
Ludwig series one is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Anna Maxwell Martin takes on an intimidating new role that’s miles away from Motherland in this gripping Apple TV drama
Motherland’s Anna Maxwell Martin as KGB surveillance head Lyudmilla Raskova (Image: APPLE TV)
The new Cold War thriller features some very recognisable names.
Apple TV’s highly anticipated For All Mankind spin-off Star City is finally here and has received rave reviews across the board.
Taking viewers back to the 1970s in this alternate version of history in which the Soviet Union won the space-race, the series picks up with the Russian politicians, engineers, cosmonauts, and KGB agents overseeing more missions to the Moon.
While the USSR is still basking in the victory of becoming the first nation to put a man on the Moon in 1969, tensions are running high as the threat of the US still looms large during the Cold War.
The series begins today (Friday, 29th May) with six more episodes coming each Friday until a riveting finale on 10th July.
But who is in the cast of Star City? From a major sitcom star to actors from some of the most acclaimed dramas of the past few years, let’s take a closer look at where you’ve seen them before.
Star City’s main cast
Rhys Ifans – Chief Designer
Welsh film and TV icon Rhys Ifans portrays the secretive figure at the head of the Star City program, known only as the chief designer.
You’ll have seen him recently as Otto Hightower in House of the Dragon, HBO’s popular Game of Thrones spin-off, as well as portraying Xenophilius Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise and as Curt Connors/The Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man, a role he reprised in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
His performance as comedy legend Peter Cook in Channel 4’s Not Only But Always won him a BAFTA TV award, and he is also well-known for his role as Spike in Notting Hill opposite Hugh Grant.
Anna Maxwell Martin – Lyudmilla Raskova
Anna Maxwell Martin plays the head of Star City’s KGB surveillance department, Lyudmilla Raskova, in a performance the Guardian has described as “terrifying”.
Martin has appeared in a huge range of popular British dramas, including Line of Duty, Ludwig, and ITV’s Until I Kill You, which won her an International Emmy Award.
She has also won BAFTA TV Awards for her roles in Bleak House and Poppy Shakespeare and is well-known among comedy fans for playing Julia Johnstone in the hit BBC sitcom Motherland.
Agnes O’Casey – Irina Morozova
Irina Morozova, a recent KGB recruit at Star City, is portrayed by English and Irish actress Agnes O’Casey.
O’Casey has landed supporting roles in major dramas in the 2020s, including Dangerous Liaisons, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, and Netflix’s Black Doves.
On the big screen she has appeared in Small Things Like These with Cillian Murphy and in The Miracle Club, Dame Maggie Smith’s final film.
Alice Englert – Anastasia Belikova
Anastasia Belikova is an untested female cosmonaut in the Soviet space program and portrayed by Australian actress Alice Englert.
Previously best known for her film roles, she has appeared in Ginger & Rosa with Elle Fanning, Beautiful Creatures with Alden Ehrenreich, and Netflix’s The Power of the Dog with Benedict Cumberbatch, which was directed by her mother Jane Campion.
Englert also appeared with O’Casey in Dangerous Liaisons, as well as BBC’s The Serpent and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and made her directorial debut with the 2023 film Bad Behaviour starring Jennifer Connelly.
Solly McLeod – Sasha Polivanov
Sasha Polivanov is described as “a reckless cosmonaut who has yet to live up to his potential” and is portrayed by Solly McLeod.
McLeod is a British actor known for playing the title role in ITV’s adaptation of Tom Jones, and has also played Ser Joffrey Lonmouth in two episode of House of the Dragon with Star City co-star Ifans.
He is also set to appear in the major upcoming films Practical Magic 2 and Anxious People, adapted from the bestselling novel by Fredrik Backman.
Adam Nagaitis – Valya Mironov
In contrast to Sasha, Valya is a respected cosmonaut in the Star City program brought to life by British actor Adam Nagaitis. Nagaitis previously portrayed a Russian firefighter in HBO’s acclaimed miniseries Chernobyl.
He has also appeared in the film The Last Duel with Matt Damon and Adam Driver, as well as TV series The Responder, The Agency and A Thousand Blows.
Ruby Ashbourne Serkis – Tanya Mironova
Ruby Ashbourne Serkis is the actress daughter of The Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis and will be portraying Tanya, the wife of one of Star City’s cosmonauts.
She has previously appeared in TV series Shardlake and I, Jack Wright, as well as two recent Cillian Murphy films; Netflix’s Steve and the Peaky Blinders movie, The Immortal Man.
Josef Davies – Sergei Nikulov
Josef Davies portrays Sergei Nikulov, a young engineering prodigy working at Soviet Ground Control. Davies is best known as Sören in Young Wallander and he has also appeared in Andor, Grace, and Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials, as well as the hit WWI film 1917.
Supporting cast and guest stars
Apple TV+ Annual Plan
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