Ben Ashenden, co-star to David Mitchell in the BBC detective-comedy "Ludwig," has recounted his first encounter with the veteran comedian, which occurred 16 years prior.

Ashenden, 36, joined the cast of "Ludwig" for its second series in 2025, working alongside Mitchell, 52, who plays the lead role of puzzle designer John 'Ludwig' Taylor. Reflecting on the meeting, Ashenden admitted on social media that he made a poor first impression.

He shared a post detailing how he spotted Mitchell in public 16 years ago and, feeling emboldened, approached him to express his admiration for Mitchell's work on "Peep Show" and "Hennimore," and a "rude waiter sketch," before stating his ambition to pursue comedy himself. Ashenden later tweeted about the encounter to his nine followers, confessing he had "fanboyed so hard I'd embarrassed myself."

![Ben Ashenden and David Mitchell in the comedy show Ludwig]( "Ben Ashenden shared a snap of himself and David Mitchell in "Ludwig" with the caption: '16 years later. Still embarrassing myself.'")

However, Ashenden revealed that Mitchell responded to his tweet, offering encouragement. Mitchell's reply read: "You didn't embarrass yourself, though you did misspell the word embarrassed. Nice to meet you, best of luck with the comedy."

Ashenden then posted a screenshot of Mitchell's reply, remarking, "He replied!" He concluded his social media reflection by sharing a photo of himself and Mitchell from "Ludwig," with the caption, "16 years later. Still embarrassing myself."

Ashenden has a notable career, appearing in "Black Mirror," "Wicker," and "Hijack," and playing Tyler in "Jurassic World: Dominion." His writing credits include "Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway" and the upcoming comedy series "Bill's Included."

The second series of "Ludwig," which premiered this month, has garnered positive reviews. Mitchell reprises his role as the titular character, an introverted puzzle solver in the murder mystery series. Anna Maxwell Martin also returns as Lucy Betts-Taylor, the wife of John's missing brother James.

Mitchell has previously expressed his fondness for murder mysteries, citing childhood viewings of "Miss Marple" with Joan Hickson and "Inspector Morse." He told The Radio Times that he enjoys the genre for its puzzle-solving aspect and aims to bring a similar lightheartedness to "Ludwig," inspired by Agatha Christie's storytelling techniques. He noted that the show often features murdered characters who are not seen, preventing audience investment and contributing to a more comedic tone. Mitchell explained that "Ludwig" incorporates Christie's approach, offering viewers both an overarching narrative and a weekly murder mystery puzzle.