Star of hit detective series makes announcement for fans

But some fans of the series set in Cambridge, starring David Mitchell, will be disappointed to hear that Gerran Howell is not returning in the role of DC Simon Evans.

Series one of the detective drama was a huge hit in 2024, becoming the channel’s biggest new scripted show since 2022. It attracted more than 9.5 million viewers across 28 days.

READ MORE: Second series of hit detective drama is expected soon

Now a second series is expected to be shown soon in 2026, although a transmission date has yet to be revealed.

David Mitchell will return as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, while Anna Maxwell Martin will also be back as his sister-in-law, Lucy Betts-Taylor.

Best known for his role in the comedy Peep Show, David Mitchell was born in Headington and was a pupil at Abingdon School, before going to university at Oxford University’s New College.

Speaking with Radio Times, Gerran Howell, who currently stars as Dr Dennis Whitaker in The Pitt, was asked if he will appear in future episodes of Ludwig.

“Unfortunately not, no,” he replied. “I hope the door is still open, because I really love that show.”

Gerran Howell (Image: BBC/Big Talk Studios)

Cast as DC Simon Evans, Howell was a comic figure in the first series, often appearing to be one of the last members of the police team to realise who had committed a murder.

Following the release of season one, which premiered in 2024, the show received positive reviews, with fans comparing it to the iconic Oxford-based detective drama, Inspector Morse.

Renewed for a second instalment, the BBC has confirmed that filming has now started on season two of Ludwig.

David Mitchell, Anna Maxwell Martin and Dylan Hughes in Ludwig (Image: BBC/Big Talk Studios/Olly Courtney)

Picking up from where the plot was left at the end of series one, master puzzle-setter John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor is now a crime scene consultant working on ‘impossible’ crimes for the Cambridge Police Authority.

When asked how his official role on the police team would shake things up in the new episodes, Mitchell said: “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.

“And of course, he’s still got to cover up the fact that for a long time he was solving cases while impersonating a police officer. And if that ever gets out, well, five murderers will walk free, and he won’t walk free himself.”

The comic actor was recently crowned the winner of the second season of TV series Last One Laughing UK.

He is also a regular on TV panel show Would I Lie To You?

Mitchell and Lee Mack appear as team captains while Rob Brydon is the host.