Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss tell TV Magazine why this fourth series is the most devastating yet…

3 Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss talk to TV Magazine about their emotional fourth series… Credit: Getty

What was it like pitching the new series to Benedict and Martin?

Steven: We pitched it to them separately. We had to do that to get them to agree to do it. They had every right to say: “Show us what you’ve got before we sign on.” That’s not unreasonable. But they are doing it because they’re excited about it.

Mark: We were in the middle of filming episode one when Martin said he’d just read the second story and was very excited. Then the same thing happened with him and Benedict with episode three while we were filming part two.

Steven: But you don’t remember that, only the moment when you send them the script and you’re like: ‘Where’s the response?’ Sue [Vertue, Steven’s wife and the show’s producer] is saying to me: “It’s only been 20 minutes!”

3 Steven and Mark say Benedict and Martin were both excited about the scripts Credit: BBC

You both always appear so cool, calm and collected. Do you get nervous before the show goes out for the first time?

Mark: Given that when we started (in 2010), although we were very proud and pleased with it we had no idea what it would become. If you then let those voices into your head going: ‘You know this is a worldwide phenomenon’ you’d go crazy. All you have to do is just carry on. We’re making this show for ourselves still. It’s not about acknowledging any of that chatter really.

Steven: It’s quite easy to do because Sherlock is made by a very small group of people. It’s a little cottage industry of people who already knew each other – my wife and my pal. We don’t feel when we’re making it that we’re involved in some international conglomerate at all. We’re making a show we love in a big shed in Wales.

We’ve watched the first episode and we really felt as though something bad was going to happen…

Mark: It’s prefigured. You start with the sharks and then you go into lots of light-hearted fun. But it’s important to think: ‘This is not going to end well.’ I was listening to people sobbing in our first press screening – that’s a very good reaction.

3 TV Magazine went behind the scenes to chat to the show's creators and stars Credit: BBC

Are you two still moved to tears, despite knowing what’s coming up?

Mark: Oh, I cry every time with episode one. That one shows what fun the duo have, but that events have consequences… It’s about the past coming to get you. And there are at least two scenes in episode two that make me cry. And I always cry at a certain point in episode three…

Steven: Episode three is the finale of finales.

John and Mary are about to become parents in the first episode. We’ve met Sherlock’s parents. What sort of dad would Sherlock make?

Steven: Interestingly in the original stories he doesn’t rule out the possibility. It’s not quite as clear cut as everyone says it is. Sherlock doesn’t rule out the idea of one day being married and one day being a parent.

Mark: In ours you see him with baby Watson and a rattle. I think very much like the Best Man’s speech he’d treat it as a problem and actually be very good at it – up to a point.

Steven: But he would try. That’s the thing. At the start of our show he was a bit more odd – as he is in the original stories. But by series four he’d try to make a jolly good stab at it cos he’s Sherlock Holmes and he’s dealing with his friends who he tries not to let down. That doesn’t mean he won’t lie to them in the most appalling way, if he thinks it’s for the greater good. But he doesn’t let his mates down at all. He’s quite serious about that.

Have there been particular things that Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Amanda Abbington have brought to series four that have surprised you?

Mark: Not surprised us but the strength of the central performances in response to these storylines has been wonderful. There’s some absolutely knockout stuff across all three episodes. Really very, very moving. They’ve been quite dazzling.

Steven: They don’t stop pushing it. Series four you could be excused in thinking you might be dealing with a bunch of actors who think they’ve nailed these parts – and they would be right in thinking so – but they don’t. They really push at it and worry about it and question it. But then that’s why they are who they are. None of that was an accident. They take it very seriously and they are brilliant in it. I think they’ve given the best performances this year.

You have said that this is not the last series. Have you got the next one mapped out?

Steven: It’s slightly early to be talking about season five when season four hasn’t been on yet. But no one can really end the story of Sherlock Holmes, can they?

Mark: We’d like to carry on. We just don’t know.

NEW! Sherlock, New Year’s Day 8.30pm BBC1