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On Reichenbach and the “how did he do it” intrigue.

 I missed the whole thing. It was in all the newspapers and it just became a national obsession for a couple of weeks. It’s wonderful and it shows great attention and intelligence from our audience and critics alike. It’s a fun thing to be part of.

Louise – Did you read Conan Doyle when you were little?

Benedict – I did but not all of them. One of them was a school duty when I was very young but it’s only since the playing of it that I’ve come to love them and when anyone asks me how I prepare… well it is the most extraordinary source material because you have a specimen in Holmes written by a doctor by a doctor so you have an acute observation of characteristics whether they be physicalities or mentalities or attitudes or moods. It’s a wonderfully close portrait of a human being and an extraordinary one at that.

After the first series I was in a bar and someone came up and said “Hello you’re Sherlock aren’t you?” and I said “yes yes I am” and it was a Friday night so I was thinking “Oh god” and he came back and he said “yeah yeah I like you. It’s good, it’s different” and then he went away and I thought there’s a massive “but” coming here and he came up to me again and he went “But that thing you do with your hands Downey Junior did that, Brett did that” and I said “Yes so did the guy in the book do that!”

Sherlock Holmes is sent to 21st century to fight crime on London's mean streets in new BBC series

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
UPDATED: 16:34 GMT, 21 March 2010

Sherlock Holmes is being brought back to life on our TV screens, but this time the famous detective will be policing the gritty streets of modern London.

Arthur Conan Doyle's popular crime fighter will keep his address at 221B Baker Street and Dr John Watson will still be at his side.

But it will be set in the 21st century with events such the war in Afghanistan getting a mention. 

The new cast: Benedict Cumberbatch (left) plays Sherlock Holmes while Martin Freeman stars as Dr Watson in a modern-day version of the famous detective story set to air on the BBC

The BBC series is the brainchild of Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat and actor and writer Mark Gatiss, star of The League of Gentleman.

Holmes will be played by Benedict Cumberbatch, while Martin Freeman from The Office will be loyal friend Dr Watson.

None of the original plots will be used, but fans may notice 'many of the echoes' of Conan Doyle's stories.

When Holmes first meets Dr Watson on a fateful day recorded in A Study in Scarlett, he asks: 'How are you? You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.'