The BBC has announced that Stephen Merchant will guest star in the upcoming second series of detective comedy Ludwig, starring David Mitchell. Merchant, known for Extras and The Office, will play Danny Sloane, a cocky snooker champion.
Guest Appearance Details
Danny appears in the fourth episode of series two, where he clashes with reclusive puzzle maker John, played by David Mitchell. First look images show Merchant looking serious as he examines a snooker table with a cue in hand.
Ludwig, which also features Anna Maxwell Martin, debuted in 2024 and was praised by viewers as "outstanding" and "perfect TV."
Series Two Plot
The series follows John, who impersonates his missing twin brother James, a detective chief inspector in Cambridge, to investigate his disappearance. He infiltrates the police station but becomes involved in other cases.
Series two picks up from the series one finale, with David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin returning. Newcomers Mark Bonnar and Sian Clifford join the cast. James remains missing, but John now works as a Crime Scene Consultant for the Cambridge Police Authority, solving "impossible" crimes. As a real employee, he cannot use police resources to continue searching for his twin.
"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," the synopsis said. "One masquerade may have ended, but a new one has just begun," it teased.
Third Series Commissioned
Last month, it was confirmed that a third run of Ludwig has been commissioned. David said he was "delighted" by the news. Jon Petrie, BBC director of comedy commissioning, said: "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."
He added that the show was "truly distinctive and much-loved," continuing: "And we’re excited to see what mysteries Ludwig tackles next."
Series two of Ludwig premieres on Thursday August 20 at 9pm on BBC One, with the first three episodes available on iPlayer at the same time.
