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Amanda Abbington has spoken of the death threats she received over her role in the hit series Sherlock.

Fans of the BBC show targeted the actress, 39, as they feared her character Mary Morstan's marriage to Dr Watson would ruin his relationship with Holmes.

Amanda - the partner of John Watson actor Martin Freeman in real life - said: "When I told everybody that I was playing Mary, there was a small group who wanted me dead.

"I got, 'She should die. How dare she play Mary Morstan? How dare she!'."

She added: "They take the John and Sherlock storyline so seriously that they wouldn't want anyone coming between them."

Amanda, who also starred in period drama Mr Selfridge, has been with Hobbit actor Martin, 42, since 2007. They have two children together, Joe, seven and Grace, five.