Ludwig wins at Broadcast Awards 2025

Thursday 6th February 2025, 11:03am

• Best Comedy Programme: Ludwig
• Best Children's Programme: Horrible Histories
• Hall of Fame: Gavin & Stacey

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Ludwig, the new BBC comedy drama starring David Mitchell, has won Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards 2025.

The trade magazine says: "BBC1's comedy about a quiet, unassuming puzzle-enthusiast masquerading as his detective twin brother exploded onto screens in September to become the BBC's biggest scripted series launch since 2022, and the biggest comedy launch since 2018.

"Racking up a whopping 9.5m viewers for its opening episode, it's little wonder that the judges lauded this quirky comedy as a reminder of how good British TV can be, and how it can thrive in the future."

Judges were particularly charmed by the show's unique tone, with one saying: "It's not driven by spectacle or scale and over-the-top lavish production values, but a genuinely funny scenario, wonderfully realised with perfect casting and writing at the top of its game."

Comic actor David Mitchell stars as the awkward puzzle-setter alongside "barnstorming" performances from the likes of Anna Maxwell Martin, Sophie Willan and Dipo Ola, all of which were praised by judges as a key benchmark in quality.

From its opening episode, one judge said the programme "offered a delightful combination of character, wit and story which demonstrated an extraordinary degree of creative control".

Series 2 has already been commissioned.

Also nominated were BBC Three's Boarders and Things You Should Have Done, ITVX's Changing Ends and G'wed, and BBC Two's Inside No. 9.

Elsewhere in the awards, The Gruesome Gunpowder Plot episode of Horrible Histories won the Best Children's Programme prize.

Researchers, writers and the production team distilled the complex history of the religious schisms that led to the 1605 attempt to blow up Parliament, into an accessible narrative for its young audience, while also offering plenty of laughs and creativity along the way.

Judges described the show as "a true gem" of children's programming, with one adding that it was "so well written, smart humour, inclusive cast, factually accurate and fun for the target audience".

One judge said they had seen the impact of Horrible Histories in their own eight-year-old, who is "constantly spouting interesting facts she has learnt". They added: "The cast are hilarious and the use of the budget is impressive - perfect family viewing."

Another said: "It doesn't get much better than this for children's television, does it? Engaging, fun, informative content, music and comedy - Horrible Histories has the lot in spades."

Meanwhile, the inaugural inductee to Broadcast's Hall of Fame is sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

The industry publication explains: "Since its launch in 2007, Gavin & Stacey has garnered a dedicated, cross-generational and nationwide following that few sitcoms in the last 30 years have achieved. It has also spawned a chart-topping cover of Islands In The Stream, made stars of its cast and creators and broken BBC viewing records.

"On the surface, the show told the sweet, sometimes unconventional love story of Essex boy Gavin (Mathew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page), from Barry Island in Wales, who meet in the opening episode for the first time after six months of online dating [sic]. But it's so much more than that."

They continue: "Viewers might have come for the titular couple, but they stayed for their brilliantly quirky family and friends (a stellar cast including Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb, Rob Brydon, Melanie Walters and Julia Davis) - not least Smithy and Nessa, played by the show's creators James Corden and Ruth Jones, whose on-again-off-again relationships kept viewers guessing right up until the final episode.

"In an age where many producers are encouraged to think about their show's global appeal, with an eye to international distribution, Gavin & Stacey has become an increasingly rare thing - a show which depicts and celebrates the idiosyncrasies of specific areas of Britain and British life to explore universal themes of love, family and friendship.

"From a strong start, when it was the most-nominated show at the 2007 British Comedy Awards, the sitcom has only gained momentum across three series and three Christmas specials. The 2019 Christmas outing set a BBC scripted record of 18.5m over 28 days. This record was smashed by the 2024 Christmas finale, which became the UK's highest-rating scripted show since records began in 2002, with 20.9m after 28 days (and an overnight audience of 12.3m)."

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The awards were presented at a ceremony last night (5th February). A full list of winners across all categories can be seen at broadcastnow.co.uk