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Sherlock lives!

Those are the cries that have filled Twitter and living rooms up and down the country.

After apparently meeting his doom by sailing off a building and crash landing on the pavement below - blood and all - viewers were promised that the way he survives would be explained.

The explanation is nearly here.

But for now we have questions. Questions like - who is coming back? Has Moriarty survived? Will Irene Adler be returning?

Fear not, dear readers, for we have all the answers you need.

Here's everything we know about Sherlock's return.

When does Sherlock return to screens?

Put the date in your diaries because Sherlock will be gracing your screens on January 1 2014.

A time hasn't been announced yet by the BBC but it's likely the show will return at 8.30pm on BBC1.

We'll let you know as soon as the BBC confirm it.

Who is returning?

Sherlock, obviously. And Martin Freeman's John Watson too. Mrs Hudson actress Una Stubbs will also reprise her role as will Mark Gatiss - who co-created the drama with Steven Mofatt - who plays Sherlock's brother Mycroft Holmes.

Andrew Scott will also be back for another turn as Moriarty, the role he won a BAFTA for, despite shooting himself in the head in the finale of the last series. Though whether he'll be living or just seen in flashbacks is a mystery.

But the big question is - will Lara Pulver return as the Woman who beat Sherlock, Irene Adler? Sherlock Holmes star Lara Pulver is playing down all rumours and being very coy in regards to her character Irene Adler's possible appearance in series three.

“I don’t think I said you wouldn’t be seeing me,” she teased the Radio Times.

We'll take that as a yes then.

(Image: BBC/Ruckas)

Who are the new characters?

Moriarty is dead (or is he?) so there's room for another Big Bad. Filling the slot is Charles Augustus Magnussen who Sherlock showrunner Steven Moffat said describes as "terrifying".

“We’ve drawn from that story [of Charles Augustus Milverton]," he said. "But, as ever with our show, what we drew and how we do it and how we find equivalences, [you’ll have to wait and see]."

Sidekick John will also be getting himself a bit of loving with Martin Freeman's real-life love Amanda Abbington playing journalist Mary Morstan in the new series.

What else do we know?

The BBC has promised that we'll absolutely, definitely, 100% be getting answers from the mystery-soaked second series rooftop finale.

You can watch Sherlock come back to life in our series three teaser trailer here.

Sherlock himself, Benedict Cumberbatch teased the new episodes saying: "Well, there's a reunion that doesn't necessarily go to plan. And there's a bonding experience that throws Sherlock and Watson back together in a very firm way. And there's a new union as well, in the shape of a marriage, which Sherlock takes part in, so we see that."

The actor also revealed that there's a new bad guy coming. Speaking on The Graham Norton Show , Benedict says: “I can’t say an awful lot but he comes back, there’s a reunion that doesn’t go as planned, there’s a wedding and there’s a new bad guy.”

The show's composer Michael Price also revealed that the upcoming third season will include more tears than ever before.

We already revealed some very snazzy new pictures from the much-anticipated third season.

Mirror Online's very own Claire Hodgson put together a fiendishly difficult quiz to test whether you're really a member of the Cumber Collective.

But if even that's not enough Cumberbatch for you - you can always watch him having his photograph taken for the iconic Time magazine. The actor, 37, was snapped by Buenos Aires-born photographer Paola Kudacki who says: “I was very excited because his career has been so big but it’s just beginning.

“I wanted to capture the intensity of his face but also the quietness. I wanted to take a serious approach, very quiet, and intimate.”

And finally, if you want to laugh at something Sherlock flavoured then we've got just the thing for you.

Have you ever wondered what Sherlock would be like if it were a sitcom?

Well, someone has and they've made the opening credits for the made-up show and it's the Best Thing Ever. Or at least it's the best thing you'll watch all day.

* This article was originally published on November 30