Agatha Christie's Famed Hercule Poirot Alum Officially Joins BBC's Hit Detective Series

Published Sep 2, 2026, 3:40 PM EDT Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour. The hit British detective series Ludwig just cast a former star of Agatha Christie's Poirot for its upcoming Christmas special. Ludwig debuted in 2024, with David Mitchell playing the titular detective, James Taylor, and his puzzle-maker twin, John "Ludwig" Taylor. After James disappears, John goes undercover at the police station as his brother to figure out the truth behind the mystery. Ludwig returns for season 2 this August, with the finale set for September 24. After the season ends, Ludwig will return with a season 2 Christmas special. Joining Mitchell, Anna Maxwell Martin, Dylan Hughes and Dipo Ola for the episode are Sir David Suchet, Joe Wilkinson, Jason Flemyng, Alexandra Roach, Cathy Tyson, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Claire Price, Rebekah Staton, George Rainsford and Ariella Glaser, according to the BBC. After becoming well known to audiences as the iconic detective Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie's Poirot, the long-running series that aired from 1989 to 2013, Suchet will play a murder suspect in Ludwig. In the special, John, Lucy and Henry arrive at a Christmas-themed hotel in Yorkshire. But instead of relaxing, they get caught up in yet another mystery. A blackout causes a major obstacle, as the team attempts to catch a killer just out of their grasp. The race is on to figure out the truth so that Christmas isn't ruined. In a statement, Mitchell said that he's admired Suchet's talents as an actor for years and even watched Poirot "several times." He considers Suchet's casting on Ludwig a "dream come true" and said it was an "absolute joy" to work alongside him. David Mitchell: “I have long been a huge admirer of Sir David Suchet’s work and have watched every episode of Poirot several times, so it was a dream come true for me when he agreed to appear in the Ludwig Christmas Special. He was an absolute joy to work and spend time with — funny, interesting and generous — and his performance in the program is wonderful.” Suchet expressed similarly kind words about Mitchell, adding that the experience was a "refreshing change to be playing a suspect rather than the detective," and he had a "thoroughly enjoyable time" filming Ludwig's Christmas special. Sir David Suchet: “It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside David Mitchell and the wonderful ensemble cast. It made quite the refreshing change to be playing a suspect rather than the detective, and to sit comfortably in my armchair while David delivered the denouement. I had a thoroughly enjoyable time.” Aside from Agatha Christie's Poirot, which earned him a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Actor, Suchet has also starred in NCS: Manhunt, Live From Baghdad, Henry VIII, Richard II, Flushed Away, His Dark Materials and American Assassin, among many other movies and shows. Created by Mark Brotherhood, Ludwig has already found much success in the short time it's been around. Season 1 earned a Certified Fresh score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the second season currently has a score of 89%. At the International Emmy Awards last year, Ludwig took home the honor for Best Comedy Series; the series also landed a BAFTA TV nomination for Scripted Comedy. Brotherhood, who has written every single episode of the British detective show, wrote the script for the Christmas special, with Chris Foggin on board as director. Brotherhood, Mitchell, Kenton Allen, Tony Welch, Kathryn O'Connor, Chris Sussman, Robert Schildhouse, Stephen Nye, Claus Wunn, Frank Seyberth, Georgie Fallon and Anya Wilson all worked on the producing team for the episode. Ludwig's Christmas special does not have an air date just yet, but once it is released, it won't be the last that fans see of the detective and puzzle maker, as the BBC is already working on a third season. Ludwig season 2 airs Thursdays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and returns to BritBox for international markets on October 13. Release Date September 25, 2024 Network BBC One Directors Jill Robertson, Robert McKillop Cast David Mitchell John 'Ludwig' Taylor / James Taylor Anna Maxwell Martin Lucy Betts-Taylor Ludwig is a 2024 series featuring John Taylor, a solitary puzzle designer using the pseudonym "Ludwig." After his identical twin's disappearance, he assumes his brother's identity, navigating life as a police officer while unraveling mysteries connected to the disappearance and solving related crimes. Writers Mark Brotherhood Main Genre Mystery Creator(s) Mark Brotherhood Executive Producer(s) Benjamin Rosenberg, Chris Sussman, David Mitchell, Kenton Allen, Mark Brotherhood, Saurabh Kakkar Producers Georgie Fallon Seasons 2