As Sherlock fans digest the news that there will be a fourth series of the BBC1 detective drama, the show’s star Benedict Cumberbatch has whetted appetites further ahead of series three, which begins filming next week.


“You are in for an absolute stonker of a resurrection. It’s going to be a treat,” said Cumberbatch, when asked about yesterday’s initial read-through rehearsal for the first episode of the new series, which will finally explain how the detective survived his fall from the roof of St Bart’s Hospital.

“It’s a terrific episode,” added the star, speaking at the South Bank Show Awards, where his BBC1 period drama Parade’s End took the TV Drama prize. “I’ve just turned round from doing another job so I’m fresh to it this week, so I’m in that privileged position of getting a head-start on you guys, but I really recommend waiting. It’s going to be great.”

Yesterday, fans were treated to a photo of Cumberbatch and co-star Martin Freeman larking about during the Sherlock read-through. “[It was] great, it was really good fun,” said Cumberbatch today. “It’s really lovely to be back.”


Filming on Sherlock series three begins on Monday 18 March, with the show slated for a late-2013 airing.