Ben Wainwright Talks ‘Maigret,’ French Literature & Croissants

This is Part Two of our interview with Maigret lead actor Ben Wainwright. For the full experience, read Part One first, and make sure you’re caught up on the season so far by diving into our episodic recaps.

For the second half of our conversation with Ben Wainwright, the new-model Maigret shared his thoughts about the character as he appears in Georges Simenon’s original novels and earlier adaptations. Wainwright is an avowed francophile and drew on other 20th-century French works for his performance, as well. Read on for more insights into the serious side of Season 2 (the noir elements and pressure from above Maigret must contend with) and the lighter aspects of the series. (Spoiler alert: we are all planning to book our next vacations in Budapest.)

While Masterpiece has not yet confirmed if the series will continue for Season 3, it recently landed a pickup in the U.K., and Season 1 will debut in December 2026 on U&Drama, with Season 2 to follow in the first half of 2027, suggesting the network is expecting a Season 3 by the end of next year. We’re keeping an eye out for any developments and will share them as we receive them.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.