A CRIME drama that’s dubbed ‘the best BBC series in years is ‘delayed’ with fans having to wait over a year for new episodes.
Drawing the most viewers for a new show since 2022, ten million people have tuned in and streamed the series since its release last year.
BBC bosses jumped at the opportunity to commission a second series of Ludwig after the first, starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, became one of the standout hits of last year.
However, unfortunately for fans, the second series will not start filming until September meaning Ludwig won’t be on air on our tv screens this year.
It is thought, instead the series will hit our screens in the spring of 2026.
The delay for the audience is down to writer Mark Brotherhood needing time to craft the next six scripts, plus the availability of the show’s cast.
One insider told The Mirror: “Fans will have to sit tight because Ludwig won’t be back until next year.
“This level of sharp storytelling doesn’t happen overnight, and then everyone needed to be locked in for filming.
“But the good news is that the scripts are coming along nicely and it will film from September.”
Ludwig is the biggest comedy series launch on the Beeb in six years, and the highest rated scripted show last year.
Ludwig even beat the likes of Silent Witness, Call The Midwife and Death in Paradise for this honour.
At the time. fans had already compared it to Death in Paradise, calling the show the ‘perfect replacement’ for the long-running favourite.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Trailer for BBC crime series Ludwig” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6363112019112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]David will return to the show as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, who fell into life as a detective when trying to figure out the truth behind his twin brother James’s disappearance.
Teaming up with James’s wife Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin) the pair get to work and find a newfound love of detection.
Anna is also believed to be making a comeback for the new series as well.
Jon Petrie, BBC director of comedy commissioning, said at the time of the announcement: “The combination of sharp writing, David Mitchell’s pitch-perfect casting, and a standout ensemble of British comic talent make Ludwig truly distinctive within the cosy crime genre.”
He added the show “Has the potential to enjoy a long and successful run due to its unique idea that taps into both comedy and true crime fans.
“As we know, traditional sitcoms take a lot longer to find their audience but when it does, statistics show us that repeat viewing increases massively and shows have a longer tail.”
Jon added that the BBC hopes to commission more shows that blend genres in this way going forward.
Season One of Ludwig is available to stream on BBCIplayer.