Comedy drama becomes BBC’s biggest scripted launch for two years
BBC1’s comedy drama starring David Mitchell as an awkward puzzler turned accidental detective has become the BBC’s biggest new scripted show since 2022, discovering a whopping 9.5m viewers after 28 days.
Ludwig is also the BBC’s highest-rating scripted show of the year to date and the biggest comedy series launch since at least 2018.
Off the back of the ratings success, the show produced by Big Talk Studios in collaboration with That Mitchell & Webb Company has secured a second series order, Broadcast can confirm.
The second run will see Mitchell return as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor to solve more murders and seek out the truth of his twin brother’s disappearance. Anna Maxwell Martin is also set to return as Lucy Betts-Taylor, the wife of John’s missing brother James.
Ludwig is written by Mark Brotherhood and the executive producers are Kenton Allen, Mark Brotherhood, David Mitchell, Kathryn O’Connor and Chris Sussman.
The new series was commissioned by Jon Petrie, BBC director of comedy commissioning. The BBC commissioning editor is Tanya Qureshi.
According to Barb data from Overnights.tv, the highest rating scripted shows on BBC1 this year have thus far included an episode of Death in Paradise which amassed 8.4m (35.6%), Call the Midwife with 7.6m (35.5%) and Silent Witness with 7.4m (33.9%).
Of its new launches for this year, the opening episode of Nightsleeper is closest behind, with 6.9m (37.8%).
Speaking exclusively to Broadcast, Petrie said that “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.”
“Off the back of the success of The Outlaws from Big Talk, we were keen to explore more comedy dramas with a crime twist, knowing this genre-crossing approach appeals to audiences looking for something different,” he added.
”We have more in this space with Death Valley starring Timothy Spall, coming up next year. I think that Ludwig has the potential to enjoy a long, successful run and continue to bring something unique to our slate.”
According to Barb data from overnights.tv. the first episode had surpassed 7.4m (33%) views after 28 days, before additional BBC data from previews and iPlayer were included. The episode has risen dramatically from the 2.7m that first tuned in overnight, with the whole series immediately available as a boxset on iPlayer.
Petrie told Broadcast that “iPlayer is always front of mind when we launch a new series, especially given that 63% of all comedy viewing now happens there first”.
He went on: ”For younger viewers, that percentage jumps to an impressive 88% directly, so it was crucial to ensure Ludwig was available for binge-watching from the start.
“BBC1 still plays a key role as a shop window, reminding viewers that the show exists and helping to anchor it in the broader cultural conversation. The weekly episodic transmission also supports word of mouth, encouraging viewers to catch up if they’ve missed an episode. And there’s been a brilliant response from the press, social media and from viewers writing into us.”
Ordered from the BBC comedy department, Ludwig is by far the genre’s most popular launch of the year and Petrie said he is “incredibly optimistic”about future shows being able to tap into the mainstream.
“We know that comedy stands out for audiences on iPlayer. As we know, traditional sitcom takes a lot longer to find its audience but when it does, statistics show us that repeat viewing increases massively and shows have a longer tail. For example, I would predict that GHOSTS will still be being watched in healthy numbers ten years from now.”
Petrie continued: “The crime-comedy angle in “Ludwig” gave it an immediate hook, and once viewers are drawn in, the strong comedic elements do the rest. Moving forward, the balance of traditional sitcoms with genre-blending shows will remain key to growing our audience across platforms.”
Big Talk’s chief executive Kenton Allen said that the success of Ludwig is “a testament to the power of Mark Brotherhood’s sharp and intelligent storytelling comined 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.”
Ludwig is produced in association with ITV Studios which also handles international distribution and is a BritBox co-production for the United States and Canada.
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