BBC and BritBox’s comedy‑drama Ludwig has become the UK’s most‑watched scripted launch of the year after its Season 2 premiere drew 9.1 million viewers, according to Barb data from overnights.tv.

The first episode of the second season, which wrapped last week, attracted an audience of 9.1 million, a figure that places Ludwig at the top of the country’s scripted launches for the year so far. The show, distributed on both BBC platforms and BritBox, has been noted for its blend of humor and drama, and the recent episode’s performance confirms its strong appeal to a broad audience.

Reaching 9.1 million viewers is a significant milestone for UK television, especially for a new scripted series. The data indicates that Ludwig not only captured a large share of viewers but also outperformed other recent launches in the same category. This level of audience engagement underscores the continued relevance of scripted content on both traditional broadcast and streaming services.

The BBC was celebrating the achievement, highlighting the success of its partnership with BritBox in bringing popular content to viewers. As the series moves forward, the network anticipates that subsequent episodes will continue to draw substantial audiences, further cementing Ludwig’s position as a leading scripted show in the UK market.