Ludwig Will Return To Solve More Mysteries In 2027

When it debuted in 2024, cryptic crime drama Ludwig became the BBC’s most successful scripted comedy launch in six years. Naturally it was swiftly renewed for a second series, and even though that has not aired yet, it seems there is a long future ahead for this David Mitchell helmed series. The BBC has started production on series 3 already, with Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin both set to return as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor and Lucy Betts-Taylor respectively. Read on for everything we know so far.

John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (DAVID MITCHELL), Lucy Betts-Taylor (ANNA MAXWELL MARTIN) & Henry Betts-Taylor (DYLAN HUGHES) in Ludwig series 2, coming to BBC One and iPlayer in August.

Ludwig Series 3: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

Reaching international audiences with its first series, the team behind Ludwig plans to build on the massive ratings series 1 accrued with series 2 in August 2026, followed by series 3 sometime in 2027.

Written by Mark Brotherhood and led by director Chris Foggin, the renewal for series 3 ahead of that series 2 launch shows incredible confidence in the story of introverted Cambridge puzzle designer John Taylor, aka ‘Ludwig’. As the BBC’s Director of Comedy Commissioning Jon Petrie puts it, ‘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.’

John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (DAVID MITCHELL) in Ludwig series 2. (BBC)

What Will Happen?

First of all, whatever happens in Ludwig series 3 will follow on from the events of series 2, which is set to air in August. We are told our titular master puzzle-setter is now a Crime Scene Consultant for the Cambridge Police Authority, working alongside DCI Russell Carter (Dipo Ola). As Mitchell teased at the beginning of the year, ‘When you watch the second series, you realise there’s still quite a lot of obfuscation involved in his role, because not everyone in the police force is entirely on side with his appointment.’

Depending on how that goes in series 2, we expect the whip-smart sleuth to still be ingrained in the police department with a new cryptic crime to untangle. We expect a new storyline to be segmented across six hour-long episodes. And as Ludwig unpicks the mystery, there’s another confounding puzzle at the core: where is his identical twin? And what was he investigating when he went missing.

Meanwhile fans of the show hope to see more of Ludwig’s actual brainteasers in the coming series – puzzles masterminded by The Guardian’s real crossword editor Alan Connor. As official puzzle consultant for the show, Connor created additional crosswords around the series 1 premiere in 2024, published by The Guardian.

Ludwig is predominantly filmed in Cambridge. (© Big Talk Studios/Colin Hutton)

Filming Locations

Ludwig has been filmed in multiple locations across Great Britain, including London and Hertfordshire, but mostly on location in Cambridge, where the action is set.

This pretty city is best known for the world-renowned University of Cambridge, and as such is sprinkled with ancient buildings, many of which appear in Ludwig. This includes St. John’s College, Queen’s Lane, Silver Street Bridge, Queen’s College, West Lane, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Mathematical Bridge. In London, Ham Yard and Moor Park Golf Club appear.

Lucy Betts-Taylor (ANNA MAXWELL MARTIN) in Ludwig. (BBC)

The Cast

Ludwig series 2 includes a host of new and returning cast members, with the two main stars already prepping for filming series 3, too.

The cast we know so far includes:

• David Mitchell as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor/James Taylor
• Anna Maxwell Martin as Lucy Betts-Taylor
• Dipo Ola as DCI Russell Carter
• Dylan Hughes as Henry Betts-Taylor
• Dorothy Atkinson as DCS Carol Shaw
• Ralph Ineson as Chief Constable Ziegler
• Karl Pilkington as DI Matt Neville
• Mark Bonnar as newspaper editor Gareth Fisher
• Sian Clifford as local MP Joanne Kemper
• Ben Ashenden as DC Ethan Cole
• Rumi Sutton as DC Caitlin Sullivan

Release Date

Ludwig series 3 is expected to air in 2027. Before that, series 2 will air in August 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Ludwig series 1 is available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer.