Sherlock writers plot fourth and fifth series

The nation's favourite detective should be back in our living rooms again soon

Sherlock Holmes is portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC series (BBC)

BBC drama Sherlock will return for a fourth - and maybe even a fifth - series, creator Steven Moffat has confirmed.

Fans of the hit detective show, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson, will be ecstatic after the news was revealed at a Bafta screening of series three episode “His Last Vow” on Wednesday night.

“Rather excitingly, Mark (Gatiss) and I, for no particular reason, just started plotting out what we could do in the future,” Moffatt told the audience. “We plotted out the whole of series four and five. The ideas we had that day, I thought were the best we’ve ever had.”

The writer and executive producer continued: “So we have got plans – but our plans don’t tend to be ‘Let’s blow up the world or cast the most famous person in the world’, they tend to be ‘What exciting twists and turns can we add to this?’ and I think we’ve got some crackers!”

“His Last Vow”, the final episode of Sherlock series three, looks to be much darker than the previous two episodes, "The Empty Hearse" and "The Sign of Three".

In the 30-second trailer, Sherlock says: “I’ve dealt with murderers, psychopaths…none of them can turn my stomach like Charles Augustus Magnussen.”

But Mycroft is seen telling younger brother Sherlock: “You go against Magnussen, you’ll find yourself going against me.”

"His Last Vow" airs on BBC One at 8.30pm on Sunday 12 January.

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