These two articles contain spoilers:

Sherlock series 3: Could Amanda Abbington's character be John’s future wife?
By Paul Jones
Radio Times
March 27, 2013

New clues suggest Martin Freeman's real-life partner could end up being his on-screen love interest too

There's a strong implication in Sherlock that Dr John Watson is, if not quite a womaniser, then at least a committed serial dater.

We've met his practice manager Sarah – who found herself at the wrong end of a crossbow but still invited him into her bedroom. Then there was schoolteacher Jeanette, who dumped him at the 221B Christmas party for failing to pay attention to her. And, of course, there are the loaded asides from Sherlock ("If I wanted poetry I'd just read John's emails to his girlfriends”), implying numerous other ladyfriends in the background.

Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes fans, who know that the original stories see Dr Watson meet and marry one Mary Morstan, have been having fun attempting to guess who the lucky lady might be in the BBC1 series (one elaborate theory even uses the names of cats and dogs to construct a dubious causal chain that links John to Louise Brealey’s lab technician Molly Hooper).

But recent developments suggest this is another mystery (along with how Sherlock survived the fall) that could be cleared up in series three...

The announcement today that Martin Freeman’s real-life partner Amanda Abbington is to appear in the new series is, on its own, hardly grounds to believe that life is going to imitate art. But look a little closer and there are certainly some points of interest...

In the Arthur Conan Doyle tales, Dr Watson meets his future wife Mary Morstan during the adventure of The Sign of Four. Their subsequent marriage sees Watson moving out of his Baker Street rooms and having increasingly less contact with his friend.

So when we hear that filming on series three of Sherlock has involved Abbington's character running around with the detective – presumably on a case – and then the BBC tells us she will be taking on “a role that significantly impacts upon the lives of John and Sherlock”, well, it all fits together rather neatly...

Of course, the possibility that co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have deliberately released a red herring should never be discounted – but when the cast list is finally revealed I'll be checking it immediately to see whether Abbington's character is called Mary, or has the initials MM...

Visit the scenes from Sherlock and Spooks during a walking tour of London, and see firsthand where Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, aka Holmes and Watson, created their hit BBC series.

Distance 6 miles (9.6km) Time 2-3 hours

START

Trafalgar Square is the quintessential London location. It was the scene of some bomb-based brinkmanship for Erin and Dimitri in the final series of Spooks, and also featured in Sherlock’s The Blind Banker.

Leave the square via Whitehall towards Big Ben. Pass Parliament on your left and walk through Victoria Tower Gardens to the steps up to Lambeth Bridge. From the top of the steps, Thames House — the real MI5’s headquarters — used for some night shots in series eight of Spooks, is on your right, over the other side of the roundabout, and from the bridge you can look upstream to the genuine Secret Intelligence Service HQ, aka MI6, which has also featured a few times. After crossing the Thames, turn left downstream along the Thames Path. Shortly before Westminster Bridge are some benches facing the Houses of Parliament — where Harry met the CIA’s Jim Coaver.

THE SOUTH BANK

The South Bank is a favoured haunt for Spooks, especially for its characters’ low-tide rendezvous, but Sherlock locations also abound. The shore in front of the Oxo Tower was where a gallery security guard was found in The Great Game, and Hungerford Bridge and the skate park under the Queen Elizabeth Hall were both used in The Blind Banker.

BARTS HOSPITAL

Pass under Blackfriars road and rail bridges and cross the Millennium Bridge — another popular Spooks location — to St Paul’s. Turn left and walk down Ludgate Hill to its junction with the Old Bailey. Walk up past the court to the traffic lights, cross over into Giltspur Street, past some offices and the building on your right is St Bartholomew’s Hospital — the meeting place of Holmes and Watson and where Sherlock met his end (or did he?) in the story The Reichenbach Fall. Follow the hospital buildings as the road sweeps round to the right and in front of you will be a half- timbered building on top of an arch. Through the arch is the church of St Bartholomew the Great, where Tom killed Herman Joyce in series three of Spooks.

Retrace your steps down Giltspur Street, then turn right onto Holborn Viaduct. Proceed ahead up Holborn and High Holborn to Holborn Tube. You have just walked over a complex of cold-war telecommunications switches hidden in tunnels with room for 8,000 people 100 feet underground.

FREEMASONS’ HALL

Turn left down Kingsway, then second right onto Great Queen St to the Freemasons’ Hall, which, in Spooks, doubles as the exterior of MI5’s HQ, Thames House. Head west down Long Acre, past the Freemasons’ Arms on your right — where Sir Harry, Malcolm and Connie met Davie King — to shake off your tail in the crowds of Covent Garden, or make your way, via Long Acre and St Martin’s Lane, back to Trafalgar Square.

TERRAIN

Long, but all along streets with lots of cafés and pubs and plenty of scope for hopping on buses and the Tube.

GETTING THERE

Trafalgar Square’s nearest Tubes are Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo) Embankment (Circle, District) and Leicester Square (Piccadilly, Northern).

PITSTOPS

There’s an almost infinite variety all along the route, but Gabriel’s Wharf and the various cafés in or around the South Bank arts complex are your best bet — or why not try the venues around Smithfield?

MAPS

A-Z or similar street atlas, or handheld GPS.

Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms ‘Sherlock’ Season 4
Blair Marnell
CraveOnline.com
March 12, 2013

Cumberbatch states that he and Martin Freeman have signed on for a fourth season of BBC’s modern Sherlock Holmes series.

Yesterday, word broke that Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were back on the “Sherlock” set for a table read, with filming of the third season to begin next Monday.

However, Cumberbatch has now dropped an even bigger announcement for fans of BBC’s modern day Sherlock Holmes series. During an interview with Radio Times, Cumberbatch revealed that both he and Freeman have signed on for “Sherlock” Season 4.

"We've agreed to two more [seasons] but I could get into trouble for saying that,” said Cumberbatch. “All I know at the moment is I’m doing these three [episodes for the third season] and another three [episodes]."

Cumberbatch also reiterated that he would like to continue working on “Sherlock” even beyond the fourth season.

"It just depends on Martin and [my] availability, how long we can keep it going. It depends on [Steven Moffat's] ability. I'd love to keep it going."

As for when “Sherlock” Season 4 would arrive, the signs are unclear. “Sherlock” Season 3 is expected to debut in winter 2013, with an early 2014 premiere likely to happen for American audiences watching on PBS. If “Sherlock” holds to the 18 to 24 month space between seasons, “Sherlock” Season 4 could be as far away as 2016.

Production of “Sherlock” Season 3 was already pushed back from early this year to accommodate Cumberbatch and Freeman’s film schedules. And as Cumberbatch alluded to, both he and Freeman are still in high demand for movie roles; which should only intensify once Cumberbatch appears in Star Trek Into Darkness as the leading adversary.

Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman Begin Work On Sherlock Season 3; Season 4 Confirmed
March 12, 2013

LONDON, UK -- Caption Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch attend the UK Premiere of ‘Creation’, at Curzon Mayfair on September 13, 2009 “Star Trek’s” Benedict Cumberbatch and “The Hobbit’s” Martin Freeman are back in the “Sherlock” fold.

“Sherlock read-through over, plenty of surprises in store for series three,” BBC One, the channel behind the show in the UK (it airs on PBS in the U.S.), Tweeted on Monday, linking to THIS photo of Benedict and Martin hamming it up.

“You are in for an absolute stonker. It’s going to be a treat,” Benedict said of the first episode, per Britain’s Radio Times.

The episode will explain what happened when Sherlock appeared to fall (on purpose) from the top of a building, when the show returns.

“It’s a terrific episode,” the actor added.

Shooting on Season 3 of the show will begin on March 18, per Deadline.

And despite both men being involved in big screen projects (they’re actually co-stars in “The Hobbit” franchise as well – Benedict voices Smaug, while Martin, is Bilbo Baggins), Benedict confirmed there will be a fourth season of “Sherlock.”

“We’ve agreed to two more series but I could get into trouble for saying that,” the actor said at the South Bank Show Awards on Tuesday, per Britain’s Radio Times.

“All I know at the moment is I’m doing these three [episodes of the upcoming series] and another three,” he added.

And there could be more after that.

“It just depends on Martin and I’s availability, how long we can keep it going. It depends on [co-creator Steven Moffat’s] ability. I’d love to keep it going.”

Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Filming begins for BBC Sherlock series 3 - Greensboro Television
By Devon Lail
Examiner.com
March 9, 2013

After waiting over a year since the end of series two, series three of BBC Sherlock will finally begin filming on March 18. The actors have finally seen their scripts and are ready to begin production. Fans are eager to know just how Sherlock survived his fall and how John will respond to his return.

Writers and production members of the show are aware of the fans anticipation of the show and have been tweeting pictures of the set and locations that will be shown in the coming series to make fans begin speculating about things that may happen. The show's creators released three words to fans to help them guess what the three new episodes might be about. The words were rat, wedding, bow. These words have caused much confusion amongst the fans and are seen as much more difficult to decipher than the three words given for series two.

The filming of the new series is also the reason Sherlock star Martin Freeman went on Britain's popular talk show "The Graham Norton Show" earlier this week. When the show was brought up, Norton proceeded to show Freeman pornographic artwork that fans had done of Holmes and Watson. Freeman, who is aware of the artwork and has expressed his appreciation for the artwork in the past, looked very uncomfortable as Norton and the audience seemed to ridicule the artists and the fans of the show. Freeman is known to constantly tease fans of the show for their ideas and always seems to be in the know when it comes to fandom trends.

The series was originally set to begin filming in January but got pushed back due to scheduling conflicts with Freeman and the show's other star Benedict Cumberbatch. The two have become very well known since the show started. Freeman recently starred as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit while Cumberbatch will appear as the villain in this summer's new Star Trek film Into Darkness.

Sherlock 'could go on 20 years'
Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman play Holmes and Watson in Sherlock
By pa.press.net
February 13, 2013

Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman could still be playing the successful sleuths in 20 years if the show's co-creator Mark Gatiss gets his way.

Mark created the hit BBC show, a modern re-imagining of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective stories, with Doctor Who supremo Steven Moffat.

Filming of the third series starts in March and Mark said he hoped the pair could equal Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, who made a string of films as Holmes and Watson and were still playing the parts into their 50s.

He said: "I think one of the wonderful things, if everybody is up for it, is starting as we did with Sherlock and John as much younger men than they're usually portrayed as, we can play with the idea of them growing up.

"I'd love the idea of Benedict and Martin the same age as Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Who knows? Why not?"

Sherlock has won millions of viewers and been a critical hit, picking up awards including a Bafta for Best Drama.

It was named the top television show of 2012 in a Radio Times poll and an episode featuring Lara Pulver as dominatrix Irene Adler was the most popular show on the iPlayer at one stage - having been watched around 2.5 million times.

New 'Sherlock' board game to be sold in U.K. only - TwinCities.com
October 2, 2012

If you have a hardcore "Sherlock" fan, make plans to go to the United Kingdom in November. That's when a new limited edition of the board game Cluedo -- or Clue, as it is known in the United States -- will be released featuring the popular mystery series.

"Sherlock," a modern retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, has been a worldwide television hit for the BBC. In the U.S., where the second season premiered on PBS in May, it had 3.2 million viewers, and more online.

The game's version will be tied extensively to the six episodes of "Sherlock." The victim is the top villain, Jim Moriarty, and locations used include the Tower of London and 221B Baker St. Besides Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, the characters include the dominatrix Irene Adler, the much-harassed Detective Inspector Lestrade, Holmes' long-suffering landlady Mrs. Hudson and his mysterious brother, Mycroft.

The U.S. company Hasbro owns the games, but the new edition is from Winning Games, exclusive licensee for limited editions of Hasbro games in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This edition is a collaboration between BBC Worldwide and Winning Moves. It will about $50, depending on the rate of exchange between the U.K. and the U.S. in November. It should be available to purchase online at U.K. vendors at the same time.

Freeman will soon be in movie theaters as Bilbo Baggins in the December release "The Hobbit." Cumberbatch.

Sherlock Second Season Draws Big Ratings For PBS
ATV Today
May 7, 2012

The second season premier of Sherlock drew big ratings for PBS on Sunday evening.

Sherlock, a modern-day reworking of the sleuth by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, returned to PBS on Sunday evening for a second season. In the UK the second season aired on BBC One to high ratings and good reviews – and third season has already been commissioned.

American fans of Sherlock have had to wait a little longer for the drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Sunday night’s opening episode was seen by 3.2 million viewers, according to a press release by PBS, and that figure does not include replays, DVR playback or online streaming meaning the actual figure could be considerably higher when all those formats are also taken into account.

“Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have taken Sherlock and Watson to a whole new level, We’re thrilled that viewers have responded so enthusiastically to this groundbreaking series.” – Rebecca Eaton, Masterpiece executive producer

Are you surprised at the audience reaction you’ve gotten for both Downton Abbey and Sherlock?

EATON: I think that they’re bigger than we thought. I knew, as soon as I saw Sherlock, that it was going to be special. The fact that it caught fire the way that it did, didn’t surprise me. It was hard to tell, reading it, that it was going to be as unusual because there were some special effects that weren’t in the script. Similarly, with Downton Abbey, the story on the page is a very good read, but then you have beautiful people who play the parts. A lot of those actors, I hadn’t seen before. You can read a line on a page, but then you hear Maggie Smith say it and it takes on a life of its own.

What do you think it is about the pairing of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, as Holmes and Watson, that you think viewers have responded so strongly to?

EATON: It’s interesting because it’s two men who have written it – Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss – and they’re very different people. They’re friends and they’ve worked together on Doctor Who, but they’re very different guys. That might have been why they both loved the idea of working on Sherlock together. It’s about two very different guys. Then, you bring in the actual personalities of Benedict and Martin, and Martin is such a cuddly guy who’s all heart and very lovable while Benedict is very cerebral, witty and mercurial. They’re actors, so they’re playing parts, but there’s just a certain quality in the two guys that’s perfect for the chemistry of the steadfast, sturdy Watson and the all-over-the-place Sherlock.

Was there ever an attempt to try to make more than three 90-minute movies per season?

EATON: No. It’s very closely held. Steven crafts them, and Mark writes some of them. It’s a lot of work, and he also does Doctor Who and he worked on Tin Tin, so there couldn’t be more than three. And, they’re very complicated. He doesn’t just dash them off. So, I think there will only ever be three at a time, if we’re lucky. It’s getting harder and harder to do another season, not just because Benedict and Martin are getting such high profiles, but Steven and Mark are busy and in demand. How much more creative juice can they spend on Sherlock?

What can you say to tease what fans can expect from Season 2 of Sherlock?

EATON: Wait until you see the last episode! You know what he did for the end of the first season, and he does it again. How did that happen?! The third episode is very much about Sherlock and Moriarty. Andrew Scott plays Moriarty. He is as crazy as a bed bug, and he plays crazy so well. He is a loon, and he’s really smart and really dangerous. I also think Lara [Pulver] is perfect as Irene Adler because she is spectacularly beautiful, controlled and smart, but sensuous and drawn to this man. You don’t know what’s drawing them together, and they don’t quite know, and they’re supposed to know everything. There’s some CGI. There’s a lot of smart phone drama. What would Sherlock do without his phone?! And, Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs) actually figures into the story. There’s some jeopardy for Mrs. Hudson. And, in spite of himself, Inspector Lestrade needs Sherlock, so Rupert Graves comes back and he’s great. He’s given in to realizing that he needs Sherlock, as irritating as he is.

Do you know why the first episode was shot last?

EATON: I think it might have been because of Steven’s schedule. I think Steven was always going to write the first one, but maybe because of Tin Tin, he had to juggle things. They had a certain time that they had to shoot it, but it wasn’t ready.

Ariel - Early 2013 filming for Sherlock
March 14, 2012

The third series of Sherlock will start filming in 'early 2013', according to Beryl Vertue - one of its executive producers.

Vertue, who was at the Nations and Regions Media conference in Salford earlier this week, told Ariel that it was too early to confirm transmission times for the next series.

But it means fans have a long wait to learn how the detective faked his death at the end of the second series.

The drama, which has been a massive hit with around 10 million viewers, was co-created by Vertue's son-in-law Steven Moffat and is produced by his wife Sue Vertue for Hartswood Films and BBC Wales.

Filmed in Cardiff and London, it has also sold to 200 territories.

Leading actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are currently filming abroad on the next Star Trek movie and The Hobbit respectively.

Sherlock series 3 to start filming in early 2013
Metro.co.uk
Christopher Hooton March 14, 2013

Sherlock series 3 is to begin filming early next year producer Beryl Vertue has confirmed, when the secrets behind how Detective Holmes faked his own death are expected to be revealed.

The three-part second series of the BBC detective drama left fans itching for a third in January and they are to get their wish next year it seems, with the show's producer confirming to the broadcaster's in-house magazine Ariel that filming for the next season will begin in early 2013.

No transmission date has as yet been confirmed for the new series however, nor is there an indication of whether it will consist of the usual three episodes or more.

Sherlock – which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman was Watson – ended on a cliffhanger in January when the detective appeared to commit suicide only to later be seen visiting his own gravestone.

The mysterious scenes led to great discussion about how the master crime-solver faked his own death.

In the time between the two Sherlock seasons both lead actors have been keeping busy, with Cumberbatch filming the sequel to 2009's Star Trek and Freeman shooting Peter Jackson's version of The Hobbit.

Sherlock series 3 set for 2013
RTE T.ie
March 14, 2013

Producers of the hit crime drama Sherlock have confirmed that the third series is to begin filming early next year.

According to the BBC's in-house magazine, Ariel, producer Beryl Vertue has confirmed that the secrets behind how Detective Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, faked his own death will be revealed in 2013.

The three-part second series of the BBC detective drama left fans itching for a third in January and left a broken-hearted Watson, played by Martin Freeman, grieving for his friend.

However Watson and fans alike are set to be put out of their misery next year although no transmission date has yet been revealed.

Cumberbatch is currently filming the sequel to 2009's Star Trek, while Freeman is shooting Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Hobbit.

Sherlock finale another ratings triumph
By Andrew Marszal
Telegraph.co.uk
January 16, 2012

Though the number of people who tuned in was down on the first (8.8 million) and second (8.2 million) episodes of the current series, it nonetheless represents a ratings triumph for the show, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. The overnight figures represent a 30% overall audience share.

Ratings for the second series have been consistently up on the programme's first run in summer 2010. The best overnight figure from the first series of Sherlock was 7.5 million for the opening episode in July 2010.

The show, which was created by Dr Who duo Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, has already been commissioned for a third series. Last night Moffat said on Twitter, "Yes of course there's going to be a third series - it was commissioned at the same time as the second. Gotcha!"

The Telegraph's Sarah Crompton said the finale, which saw Holmes in a showdown with his nemesis James Moriarty, was "a sophisticated pleasure". The episode, entitled The Reichenbach Fall, was based on the 1893 Arthur Conan Doyle book The Final Problem, in which the author famously killed off his most enduring creation.

Jonny Lee Miller

Jonny Lee Miller takes on Frankenstein co-star in US Sherlock Holmes update
By Mark Sweney
The Guardian.co.uk
February 15, 2012

Actor who alternated roles on stage with Benedict Cumberbatch will play version of same Conan Doyle character in Elementary

Last year Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch shared a prestigious theatre award after alternating the lead roles in a West End production of Frankenstein.

Now they are sharing a role again, after Miller was cast as Sherlock Holmes in a US series that brings the legendary detective up to date - just as Cumberbatch's hit BBC show does.

Miller, who first rose to prominence in Trainspotting, will portray the fictional detective in a pilot called Elementary for the US network CBS.

Like the BBC's Sherlock, Elementary will have a contemporary setting, with Miller playing a New York-based Holmes tackling updated versions of the detective's traditional cases.

He will have a tough act to follow, with Cumberbatch's performance in the BBC's contemporary adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective stories, co-created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, winning plaudits in the UK and US and helping propel him towards Hollywood star status.

Cumberbatch will play the villain in the next Star Trek movie and is also providing the voices of Smaug the dragon and the Necromancer in Peter Jackson's two-part film adaptation of The Hobbit.

Miller and Cumberbatch shared the best actor award in November at the London Evening Standard theatre awards for their performances in last year's National Theatre production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, with the pair alternating the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature. The play also reunited Miller with Trainspotting director Danny Boyle.

Miller was last seen on US TV in eight episodes of serial killer drama Dexter as a motivational speaker called Jordan Chase in 2010. He has also starred in ABC's primetime soap Eli Stone and played Mr Knightley in an adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma in 2009.

He has two films coming out this year, including Tim Burton's new horror movie Dark Shadows and a thriller, Byzantium, which co-stars Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan.

Doyle's detective character is no longer protected under copyright law - Guy Ritchie has taken Holmes to the big screen recently in two action movie outings starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law.

However, if the US version were to too closely mimic the BBC's modern take, there could be cause for legal action. Sherlock is aired in the US by public service broadcaster PBS.

Jonny Lee Miller to play Sherlock Holmes in US series
PA
February 15, 2012

The two British stars won a joint Best Actor prize after sharing the lead in the National Theatre’s Frankenstein.

But now Jonny Lee Miller will go head-to-head with Benedict Cumberbatch in a battle to determine who is television’s predominant Sherlock Holmes.

Miller, 39, the Trainspotting actor, has won the lead role in Elementary, a show created by US broadcaster CBS, in which a detective solves cases inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, set in contemporary New York.

Elementary has already been threatened with legal action by the producers of the BBC’s Sherlock, amid concerns that its modern-day scenario appears to borrow elements from the hugely-successful series starring Cumberbatch.

Sherlock producer Sue Vertue hinted that CBS are now sniffing around her team for casting clues. She told The Independent: “Johnny is a very fine actor, who I saw recently in the theatre when he and Benedict played alternating roles in Frankenstein. Let's hope their pilot script has stayed further away from our Sherlock than their casting choice."

She added: "We have been in touch with CBS and informed them that we will be looking at their finished pilot very closely for any infringement of our rights.”

Cumberbatch, 35, has signed on for a third run of Sherlock adventures and the trans-Atlantic screen rivalry with Miller could challenge a friendship forged during their unique job-share at the NT.

Miller and Cumberbatch alternated the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature on a daily basis during Danny Boyle’s production. The aim was to balance Miller’s “interior” acting style of Miller with the more flamboyant Cumberbatch.

Miller admitted that swapping roles was a challenge. He said: “That was the worry to begin with; how precious were Benedict and I going to be? ‘That’s my idea, you can’t do that!’” But the pair “realised early on that we were going to get on.” They were both named Best Actor at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Miller is already familiar to US television viewers after starring in a legal drama Eli Stone and the serial killer series Dexter. The BBC Sherlock is shown on the US PBS network and its success has helped Cumberbatch make a leap into Hollywood. He is currently shooting his role as the villain in the next Star Trek film and appears in Peter Jackson’s new Tolkien blockbuster, The Hobbit.

The boarding school-educated Cumberbatch studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and graduated to the screen after excelling in classical stage roles.

Miller quit school at 17 to pursue an acting career, married Angelina Jolie and earned further notoriety for running with the Primrose Hill set, whose members included Jude Law and Sadie Frost.

Miller will shoot a pilot episode of Elementary with a series planned for September if the response is favourable. CBS insists that their show not infringe the copyright of the BBC series, written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.

The broadcaster said: “Our project is a contemporary take on Sherlock Homes that will be based on Holmes, Watson and other characters in the public domain, as well as original characters. We are, of course, respectful of all copyright laws and will not infringe on any stories or works that may still be protected.”

Benedict Cumberbatch 'fancies action role' in film
BBC.co.uk - Newsbeat
January 13, 2012

Benedict Cumberbatch says he "loves the idea" of getting a part in a physically demanding action film.

"I wouldn't turn my nose up at an action film. I love the idea of getting involved," he told Newsbeat.

"I love the Bonds, and Bourne as well. They're both fantastic franchises and that would be great fun."

The 35-year-old Sherlock star also said he was preparing to head to New Zealand at the end of January to work on his parts in The Hobbit movie.

Cumberbatch said he was trying to stay in shape for the role as he wasn't sure exactly what director Peter Jackson had in store.

"It's very exciting and I'm starting conversations with Peter and all the team down there, so we'll begin to see what direction that goes in."

He's set to provide motion capture for Smaug the dragon and the Necromancer in the big budget fantasy film.

Speaking about the idea of one day starring in an action movie, he revealed he was a big fan of the movie Kick-Ass.

"There are all sorts of action films I like [but] I thought Kick-Ass was fantastic because it shows the real cost of violence.

"I'm sure they're making it with Aaron Johnson, but who knows? I wouldn't turn my nose up at an action film."

'Naked' scenes:

The actor said he enjoyed the stunts during Sherlock and that his recent time in the Frankenstein stage play meant he wasn't bothered about going semi-naked for certain scenes.

"It's good as he [Sherlock Holmes] is a very buttoned up character. To literally see him almost naked is quite a good thing.

"If you've done it once every other night for about three months in front of 1,100 people in a very cool air-conditioned theatre, you get a bit bolder," said Cumberbatch.

Getting "ripped" wasn't a priority for the actor though. He says a beefed-up Sherlock wouldn't be quite right.

"He's got strength but he shouldn't be, 'Oh my god, six pack, massive pecs, huge bicep and tricep muscles.'

"It would be wrong, he wouldn't fit into the suits - and where on earth would he get the body?"

The link below contains a video of Benedict Cumberbatch:

Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch Holmes in on A-list
By Jennifer Dunkerley
Daily Star.co.uk
January 10, 2012

HOLLYWOOD legend Steven Spielberg reckons he’s the best Sherlock Holmes in the world.

And despite his Victorian monicker, Benedict Cumberbatch is very much a name for 2012.

More than 9 million fans are hooked on the 35-year-old’s portrayal of super-sleuth Holmes, as the BBC’s modern-day adaptation brings Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales to a new generation of fans.

The fast-moving show has propelled Benedict towards the A-list. He has already had roles in drama War Horse, directed by Spielberg, 65, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, tipped for Oscars glory next month.

With upcoming parts confirmed as a villain in Star Trek 2 and dragon Smaug in The Hobbit, it’s clear the man who shot to fame as the violinist detective has more than one string to his bow.

Now London-born Benedict, the son of two actors, reckons playing the famous detective has changed how he sees the world.

He says: “Our daily lives are so mundane, we get taken over by what is immediately in front of us and we don’t see beyond that. As Holmes keeps on saying, we don’t ‘observe’, we ‘see’ things.

“I think if you look at the example of Holmes, or at least what I have learnt from playing him, you fi nd extraordinary depth in the smallest detail.

“So I sit on trains and I think: ‘Is that mud on the bottom of a boot? I wonder where he has been. That collar looks a little bit frayed – I wonder whether he has been travelling for a while or has he forgotten his washing?’ You do try to piece together personal stories from bits of information.”

Benedict has more he wants to do, including playing a spy. He says: “Any actor worth their salt would jump at the chance, because it’s all about mask shifting.”

And while he impresses on screen with slick suits and even slicker one-liners, Benedict reveals his offscreen image has not always been so stylish. He blushes:

“I’ve been quite a late developer on the clothes front, but I’ve suddenly realised it is one of life’s joys.”

And who can take some of the credit for Benedict’s sartorial elegance? Elementary, it’s dear Watson, alias Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman, 40.

Benedict admiringly nods: “There’s a man who knows his threads. He’s a very natty dresser. He gets stuff made and is always coming in with new pairs of shoes so I’ve been watching his clobber.”

So much so that his credit card was recently declined after a birthday spree at Selfridges. “That’s when I realised that I’m changing my habits!”

But it isn’t all about image. This chap has a soft spot for the deeper issues too. He explains: “I’m a Prince Of Wales Trust ambassador, so I’m all about giving youth an education, a voice and a chance to not take the wrong road.”

But he will not excuse the riots that tore through the UK last August. He storms: “Those eejits saying they’re doing it for socio-political reasons? F*** off, no you’re not, you’re on a jolly and you’re getting away with it. It makes me want to belt them, make them lame for a bit so they’re dependent on other people’s mercy.”

He confides: “It’s very hard for me to talk about it because I came from an incredibly privileged bubble.

The minute I open my mouth I can sense the come-back of: ‘What the f*** do you know?’

“That’s fair, but my sympathy is with the people who do know, who have been brought up on estates and live morally decent, contributing lives and who have seen opportunists destroying all their work.”

There is one area of his life that needs work, though. Despite having been broody “for ever”, Benedict is single for the fi rst time since he was at university.

Last year he broke up with Olivia Poulet, 33, who appeared in the fi rst series of Sherlock, after 12 years together. He reveals: “When I was last single I wasn’t the same person, I was desperately backwards in coming forwards. But now I quite enjoy it.

“Naturally, I miss the proximity of a partnership with someone I know and love – and I still love Olivia to bits. But being single’s fun.”

Is Benedict Cumberbatch the best Sherlock Holmes ever?
By Simon Gaskell
WalesOnline.co.uk
January 9, 2012

Guinness World Records testifies he is the most-portrayed character in history, with 75 actors having played him in 211 films. In his latest incarnation on the BBC he is as popular as ever, attracting more than 10 million viewers every week. Could the modern-day version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary sleuth played by Benedict Cumberbatch be the best Sherlock ever? He just might, says Simon Gaskell.

Benedict Cumberbatch wasn’t a name many people could have claimed familiarity with before he strode on screen in the summer of 2010 in A Study in Pink – the very first episode of BBC’s Sherlock.

While not a complete unknown, for those who missed Hawking – a brilliant 2004 biopic about the British professor – he was best-known for an appearance alongside James McEvoy and Keira Knightley in the 2007 film Atonement.

But in his role as the literary sleuth, the 35-year-old has well and truly entered the public consciousness and in the process has opened up the tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to a new generation of fans.

What is more, Cumberbatch has captured the imagination of many long-devoted Sherlock fans and is for many people’s money, including my own, the best to have donned the deerstalker.

He is up against quite a pantheon of talent, including the revered Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett.

But while South African-born Rathbone gave a cool, sophisticated and elegant version of Holmes in 14 movies from 1939 to 1946 and Brett practically became his character in 41 TV episodes spanning 10 years, Cumberbatch has gone beyond them.

For one thing, out of the 75 to have played Holmes, Cumberbatch has handled the most radical and unique challenge.

He has had the thankless task of making Sherlock seem credible in a modern society, catapulted more than 100 years forward from the Victorian era we are so used to seeing him in.

Gone are the hansom cabs and baker street boys, replaced by black taxis and spies, while Sherlock is no longer in the habit of sending telegrams so much as using a smartphone.

But Cumberbatch has managed to do so while losing nothing of the essence of a character which so many feel affection and ownership over.

The ex-Harrow pupil is helped by a seemingly natural theatrical pomp just like the antiquated Holmes, which is possibly innate given he is the son of actors, and has an intriguing face – perfect to play a man who is singular in his outlook on life and often makes a reader wonder how he ended up as he did.

Compare that to the crass retelling of Sherlock Holmes on film – the second instalment of which currently lies second at the UK box office – in which Robert Downey Jr attempts a barely-passable English accent. And you don’t have to be a purist to work out that bare-chest fighting wasn’t in the four novels or 56 short stories.

By contrast, Cumberbatch has added things which weren’t always there, but which have not detracted from the character. Take for example the humour displayed in last night’s second series’ second episode The Hounds of Baskerville.

He asks Inspector Lestrade why he has taken to “going around calling himself George”.

“That’s his name,” answers Martin Freeman, who does an equally admirable job as Dr Watson.

Once again last night Cumberbatch adroitly captured the eccentric symptoms of Holmes, from going “cold turkey” at the beginning of the episode to smooth-talking his way into the Baskerville animal testing lab.

Cumberbatch just is Holmes and while, of course, his authenticity has a great deal to do with the minutiae of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ writing – they are two of the most knowledgeable men on the books walking the planet – his execution has meant no one has questioned the casting choice.

It can be a very different story. Former Doctor Who actor Tom Baker, who appeared in The Hounds of the Baskervilles) in 1982, wrote of the experience afterwards that he “couldn’t lift the character into that special world that makes Holmes so funny and fascinating”.

Meanwhile Christopher Lee looked too old to be Holmes in the TV films in which he starred.

But Cumberbatch has become Holmes as quickly as the great detective could surmise who you were from a tea stain on your napkin.

His performance as Sherlock has not gone unnoticed and he has joined the cast for Star Trek 2 as well starring in the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster War Horse, whose director Steven Spielberg recently called Cumberbatch “the best Sherlock Holmes on screen”. Who are we to argue?

Benedict Cumberbatch defends naked Sherlock scene
By Mark Jefferies
Daily Mirror.co.uk
January 7, 2012

Benedict Cumberbatch has defended the BBC over complaints about his female co-star’s nude scene in hit drama Sherlock – saying it was not “supposed to stimulate the audience”.

The decision to screen actress Lara Pulver naked before the watershed prompted more than 100 complaints from viewers and the scene hit the headlines.

But in response leading man Cumberbatch, 35, said: “It’s great publicity, isn’t it? I think there’s an awful lot of support for the way that we did it (the scene) and the taste that we did it with. And if it creates more interest in the programme, thank you very much for that.”

In last weekend’s BBC episode titled A Scandal in Belgravia, Holmes has a close encounter with a whip-smart dominatrix, Irene Adler (played by Lara Pulver), who gets under his skin by flashing some of hers.

Some detractors said the scene was too racy to be screened early in the evening, when children are more likely to be watching TV.

“It’s not supposed to be a source of stimulation for the audience,” Cumberbatch added. “It’s supposed to throw his (Holmes’) radar off, which is exactly what it does.”

He played it more coy and refused to say whether the hit series about Conan Doyle’s great detective and sidekick Dr Watson (Martin Freeman) will return for a third season when quizzed.

The actor has become a hot property with film credits including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and War Horse. Sherlock’s opening episode also pulled in more than nine million viewers.

During a Q&A with the US critics by satellite from London, Cumberbatch pretended to seek legal counsel when asked if he would sign up for more Sherlock to avoid the question.

He also consulted another fictional lawyer when queried about his role in the forthcoming Star Trek sequel from filmmaker JJ Abrams.

“I’m just getting my head around the fact it’s happened ... I’ll give you my headline on it, which is, ‘I’m over the moon’.”

Lara Pulver: I enjoyed spanking Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock
Metro.co.uk
January 3, 2012

The actress, who spent much of Sunday's Sherlock episode nude whilst playing the part of dominatrix Irene Adler, admitted: 'Benedict said, 'It's all right, Lara, you can hit me harder.'

'I was like, 'Oh can I now, Benedict Cumberbatch? Imagine how many whips I am going to receive in the post now!'

The sultry Pulver joked that co-star Martin Freeman was a little hands on during filming for the scenes too, adding to The Sun: 'Martin is always naughty. 'Martin Freehands' is so true.

'He was like, 'Oh, there she is. She's naked and there's her arse crack and off we go...'

The actress, who has previously starred in True Blood and Spooks, said that she looked to Freeman and Cumberbatch's track record of nudity in order to gain confidence in the role.

She said: 'I have never felt so vulnerable in my whole life and in feeling that vulnerability it unleashed an inner power.

'I thought, 'OK, I'm naked, I'm exposing everything, you can't hide behind Spanx, you can't hide behind a dress.' It's like, 'I'm completely naked, what of it?'

'There is something about being a woman and being naked that's great and I thought, 'Let's just celebrate that'.

'Martin was naked in Love Actually. Benedict is always nake, he was naked on stage in Frankenstein, so I was just joining the club.'

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson

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