Kicking off with Mark Gatiss’s ‘The Empty Hearse’, Series 3 is set to tackle Holmes’ return from the dead, Watson’s new romance and some terrifying villains popping up to challenge Sherlock’s wits in increasingly dastardly ways…

> Order Series 3 on DVD on Amazon.

CultBox was lucky enough to nab a ticket to last weekend’s screening at the BFI, followed by a Q&A chaired by Caitlin Moran. In attendance were stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, producer Sue Vertue, and ‘The Empty Hearse’ director Jeremy Lovering, all of whom dished the gossip on what it was like filming the new series.

Here are ten if the most tantalising tidbits we gleaned from the Q&A…

Moriarty is definitely dead

Steven Moffat was keen to make it clear that Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) wasn’t faking that gunshot to the noggin at the end of the last series, adding that he and Sherlock “did not fake suicide each other!”

Keeping the “faked death” solution secret proved easier than expected

Despite huge crowds of fans and press gathering to observe the filming of Sherlock’s faked suicide, Gatiss commented that everybody present was surprisingly co-operative when it came to keeping schtum. “We just asked everyone not to say anything,” said Gatiss, with Moffat adding that it remained a secret thanks to the “kindness on the part of people watching”.

The Holmes brothers are inspired by another set of TV brothers…

With some light shed on the familial backgrounds of Sherlock and Mycroft in this first episode, Gatiss commented that the brothers are a little like Niles and Frasier Crane. Yep, we can certainly see the resemblance.

Martin Freeman is not guilty of nepotism

With Freeman’s partner Amanda Abbington joining the cast as Watson’s new squeeze Mary, he was keen to explain that this decision wasn’t a “John and Yoko thing”, and that Abbington was just a good fit for the role!

Some Sherlock fans make an appearance in this episode

Eagle-eyed host Caitlin Moran spotted a cluster of autograph hunters in one shot – filmed at a London Underground station – leading to a lot of ribbing of director Jeremy Lovering.

The layout of St Bart’s hospital proved fortuitous!

In a happy coincidence, St Bart’s – where the dramatic denouement of the previous series played out – features an ambulance station which helpfully blocks part of Sherlock’s fall from Watson’s view. And its inclusion wasn’t even planned!

Benedict Cumberbatch is a fan of the fans

According to the man himself, the crowds of fans who gather to watch filming are always very respectful and responsive. Freeman added, though, that being observed by so many people made filming seem like a theatre performance.

Mark Gatiss geeks out over the London Underground

Which would explain why the good ol’ Tube crops up in this first episode quite a bit…

The series is starting to acknowledge its own huge success

‘The Empty Hearse’ is named after a Sherlock Holmes fan club from the world of the series. Gatiss and Moffat explained that this was inspired by the show’s huge fanbase in the real world, and that this inclusion was their attempt to address Sherlock’s massive success.

Cumberbatch and Freeman have rather amusing nicknames in China

According to Cumberbatch, his Chinese nicknames roughly translate to “curly hair” and “bit of a dickhead but he’s a nice guy really”, while Freeman just goes by “fashion”. We can definitely see those catching on over here.

> Order Series 3 on DVD on Amazon.

> Buy the Series 1-2 boxset on Amazon.

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