Sherlock set for third season

Los Angeles - Sherlock will return for a third series.

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss - co-creators of the BBC One series, which sees Benedict Cumberbatch portray the crime-solving genius - have taken to Twitter to confirm the show will be back for a third season as a deal was arranged when the second instalment was commissioned.

Steven - who has also written a number of Doctor Who episodes - tweeted: "sherlock Yes of course there's going to be a third series - it was commissioned at the same time as the second. Gotcha! (sic)"

And Mark wrote: "Gotcha! And of course there'll be a third series! It was commissioned at the same time as series two!! (sic)"

Pressure

Meanwhile, Martin Freeman - who plays the titular character's assistant Dr John Watson - recently admitted he was "really very pleased" about the reaction the first series of Sherlock received, and he hoped there would be a third series of the show.

He explained: "The hope is that we will make a third series. There is certainly more to do and I would like to do it. It's a very nice way to spend your time.

"It's amazing and very flattering. We are aware of the pressure of having a standard to maintain, but we have such a ball doing it, that it didn't really feel like pressure, but a really joyous way to spend a few months."