Sherlock is back, both onto our screens and from the dead, with Mark Gatiss, who plays

the detective's brother Mycroft, talking about the effect his return has on Watson.

In the original Conan Doyle story The Empty House. This is called the Empty Hearse. It's a pun,

obviously. There is a mystery, and there's a mystery in this one. Doctor Watson forgives

his friend very quickly. In fact, he faints when he sees him, and then forgives him, and

Steven and I always thought there must be more to it than that. It was obviously extended

when Doctor Waston was writing up the story. He maybe lied about how angry he was. So we

just thought it would be so much more fun to play with the fact that Sherlock just thinks

the world has stopped, and he just comes back and says tada and people don't welcome him

with open arms. They're actually very, very angry.

Watson's wife Mary Morstan played by Martin Freeman's actual partner Amanda Abbington

also talked about his return from the dead.

All she wants is John and Sherlock to form their relationship that they had two years

previously. She's quite happy in her own skin to let them go off and do what they want to

do. She's not divisive at all. She just loves his wit, and she loves his straight talking,

and I think she's a lot like that. So I think that they bring out the best in each other,

and you know, they both love John. That's the other thing. They're both incredibly loving

towards John, and I think they see that in themselves and in each other as well.

The eagerly anticipated episode, which will end nearly two years of speculation surrounding

his death, will air on New Years Day, with Abbington saying how she and Freeman will

celebrate its return.

I hope I won't be nursing a hangover because I'm not very good with alcohol, so I will

be sitting watching Sherlock with Martin and hopefully a few friends and eating lots of

chocolate probably.

New Year's Resolution?

Don't eat loads of chocolate.