Death Valley beats David Mitchell's Ludwig to break BBC comedy record for past 5 years
Move over, Ludwig. There's a new detective comedy drama on the block.
There's a new detective comedy-drama in town, and it's giving Ludwig a run for its money.
That's right, new kid on the block Death Valley's first episode managed to outperform David Mitchell's beloved series in the ratings department, the BBC has confirmed.
The new series began airing on BBC One on Sunday 25th May, drawing in an audience of 2.9 million and making it the largest Overnights audience for a new BBC Scripted Comedy title in 5 years.
In contrast, Ludwig's premiere, which landed back in September 2024, secured 2.8 million.
Both series feature plenty of similarities, including stellar casts and an unlikely crime-solving duo at their hearts.
In Death Valley's case, it comes in the shape of Timothy Spall's retired actor John Chapel and Gwyneth Keyworth's up-and-coming detective (and Chapel's one) Janie Mallowan.
Ludwig is helmed by Mitchell, who plays a puzzle-solver posing as a detective to find his missing twin, and Anna Maxwell Martin, his twin's wife.
Luckily, both series are also currently available to watch on iPlayer, for those keen to determine which does it best.
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Ludwig and Death Valley are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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