Paul Weatherley

BBC hit comedy Ludwig has secured a third run ahead of its series two launch. The Big Talk-produced title swiftly became the BBC’s biggest scripted series launch since 2024 and biggest comedy launch since 2018, attracting 9.5m viewers for its opener after 28 days. The episode has since accrued 11.8m. Hailing from writer Mark Brotherhood, the upcoming six-part detective caper will see David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin return to front.

The BBC has commissioned a second outing for family drama Crookhaven. The show, which is produced by BBC Studios Kids & Family, is set in a school for crooks and revolves around the complicated friendship between pickpocketing genius Gabriel and Penelope, daughter of the school’s headmaster Caspian Lockett. Now entering their Miscreant (second) year at Crookhaven, the Crooklings face a term of dangerous secrets, shifting alliances and shocking betrayals.

Sharon Rooney (photo: Joseph Sinclair) and Emmett J. Scanland (photo: Sergei Sarakhanov) Clapperboard’s latest drama for 5 centres on a detective’s quiet local policing life that’s upended when they’re forced to investigate a mysterious murder.