The brilliant detective drama, Ludwig, was the BBC's biggest scripted show of 2024, and fans are undoubtedly counting down the days until the premiere of season two, which will see David Mitchell reprise his role as reclusive puzzle setter John Taylor.
In a new interview, David opened up about some of the new additions to the show, including Shetland star Mark Bonnar, who plays a newspaper editor, Gareth Fisher.
© BBC"Mark Bonnar's sort of hilarious, hapless newspaper editor, which is a terrific role," David told RadioTimes.com.
The comedy-drama series follows John 'Ludwig' Taylor, a reclusive puzzle setter whose life is upended when his identical twin brother, DCI James Taylor, disappears. Drafted in by his sister-in-law Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), John agrees to impersonate his brother as a detective in the Cambridge Police Authority in order to uncover the truth about James's whereabouts.
Infiltrating the major investigations team, John uses his unique puzzle-solving skills to crack cases whilst also gathering information about his brother's disappearance.
© Anne Binckebanck, BBCWhat happens in season 2?
At the end of season one, John was offered a role as a Crime Scene Consultant for the Cambridge Police Authority.
The synopsis for season two reads: "No longer having to masquerade as his brother, he's openly more 'Ludwig' than ever - brilliant at solving puzzles but hopeless at everything else.
© BBC"But John's identical twin brother, James, is still missing, and now that he's an official employee of the station, John is forbidden from using any police resources to look for his brother or uncover exactly what he was investigating.
"Of course, John won't stop and neither will Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), John's sister-in-law and wife of his missing brother James - a puzzle needs solving and a husband and father needs bringing home. One masquerade may have ended, but a new one has just begun."
Who are the new cast members?
Joining the cast as series regulars alongside Mark Bonnar are Sian Clifford (Fleabag, The Ballad of Wallis Island) as local MP Joanne Kemper, Ben Ashenden (Deep Cover, Black Mirror) as DC Ethan Cole and Rumi Sutton (After the Flood, Mutiny) as DC Caitlin Sullivan.
© Big Talk Studios / BBCSpeaking of the new additions, David told RadioTimes.com: "They were brilliant, very funny. They're new characters, they're very funny characters. They've got a great dynamic with each other, but overall the situation remains the same."
Reprising their roles in season two alongside David and Anna are Dipo Ola as DCI Russell Carter, Dylan Hughes as Henry Betts-Taylor, Dorothy Atkinson as DCS Carol Shaw, Ralph Ineson as Chief Constable Ziegler and Karl Pilkington as DI Matt Neville.
David's love of murder mysteries
Ludwig is a particularly exciting project for David, who has a long-standing love of murder mysteries.
"I've always loved murder mysteries," the actor told Best Quality Designer Handbag and other press at the launch of season one.
© Big Talk Studios/David Emery/BBC"Some of my happiest viewing memories are as a child watching Miss Marple with Joan Hickson, and Inspector Morse. I think when it can have that comic spin as well, that's even better."
When will Ludwig be released?
The BBC has yet to reveal a release date for season two. However, with filming having commenced in September last year, we can speculate that the new episodes will arrive sometime this year.
5 more detective dramas to add to your list...
1/5
© BBC/Big Talk Studios/Alistair Heap1.. Can You Keep a Secret? – BBC iPlayer
In this hilarious six-part sitcom, retired West Country resident Debbie Fendon (Dawn French) becomes entangled in life insurance fraud when her husband, William (Mark Heap), is mistakenly declared dead.
Rather than correcting the error, the couple rely on a huge insurance claim to solve their financial woes.
To keep the secret, William, who has Parkinson's disease, must remain hidden. The Fendons drag their son, Harry, into the drama to help conceal the truth from his wife, a local police officer.
If you loved Ludwig, you will absolutely adore this.
2/5
© Courtesy of Netflix © 20252. His & Hers – Netflix
A highly bingeable tale based on the 2020 Alice Feeney novel of the same name, former reporter Anna returns to her small Georgia hometown after an ex-classmate is violently murdered.
Complicating matters, the lead detective on the case, Jack Harper, is none other than her estranged husband, whom Anna soon realises was sleeping with the victim.
As the twisting and turning series unravels, it remains to be seen whether Jack is the murderer or if Anna knows more than she is letting on, as both have a connection to the victim.
3/5
© Channel 43. Patience – Channel 4
Patience (Ella Maisy Purvis) is an autistic, self-taught criminologist who catalogues evidence in the Yorkshire Police records department. When her talent is discovered by Detective Inspector Bea Metcalf (Laura Fraser), Patience soon helps to unlock complex cases...
4/5
© BBC/Mammoth Screen/James Pardon4. Towards Zero – BBC iPlayer
Set in England in 1935, this Agatha Christie mystery revolves around recently divorced British tennis player Nevile Strange (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).
When his new wife and ex-wife both join Nevile at his aunt's coastal estate, trouble strikes after said aunt (Anjelica Huston) is murdered. Inspector Leach (Matthew Rhys) is called in to untangle the web of lies and love triangles woven through this juicy mystery.
5/5
© BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway5. Death Valley – BBC iPlayer
In this six-part cosy Welsh crime drama, DS Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) and retired TV detective John Chapel (Timothy Spall) team up to solve murders in rural Wales, while navigating personal dramas along the way.
Originally premiered in May 2025, the show’s success has led to a second series which is currently in production for later this year.
