We are trembling with excitement over the return of the world's favourite aloof sleuth after 'Sherlock' series 3 spectacularly concluded earlier this year with a finale that no-one was expecting. So what's in store for Holmes and Watson in series 4?

Benedict Cumberbatch [L] and Martin Freeman [R] in Sherlock
Is Benedict Cumberbatch as excited as we are for series 4?

It's sad to say we can't be expecting any Baker Street action for more than a year with our next dose of 'Sherlock' coming as a 2015 Christmas special. While the end of series 2 left us pondering Holmes' dramatic survival after leaping off a multi-storey building, we've been mulling over the Moriarty Mystery and his apparent resurrection since January - and now we have plenty more time to think about it.

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The BBC and writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat are keeping all plot details strictly under wraps  for the time being, just in case you were trying to dig up a few spoilers. 'I can't give any plot away but their pitch for the Christmas special and the series beyond that is just phenomenal', lead actor Benedict Cumberbatch shared with Empire. Well, at least we know we can be expecting a further full series - even if we do have to wait until 2016! 'We've never seen [Sherlock] being really pressed yet, so that will be interesting', he continued, suggesting the eagle-eyed detective and his sidekick Dr. Watson (Martin Freeman) will meet his match in due time.

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While we'll be on our toes digging up as many rumours as possible for series 4 over the next year, at least we've got one less thing to fret about; Cumberbatch has no plans to hang up his scarf and trench coat just yet. 'We'll do it until we don't want to do it anymore', he insisted. 'As long as the ideas are still there and the audience still wants it. I'd love to do it into old age, I really would.'

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