Sherlock will return to BBC1 on 1 January, 2014, a hearse parading through the streets of London revealed last month, and as stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman and series creators and writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss addressed the expectations surrounding the impending thid season, they promised that fans won't be let down.

Sherlock
Sherlock's return won't disappoint fans, hopefully

Cumberbatch said that viewers are "in for a treat" when Sherlock returns in season opener 'The Empty Hearse' and his sentiment was shared by Freeman, Moffat and Gatiss.

"I think you're in for a treat... I was too curious not to ask and figure it out myself, I think I sort of got into the same obsession that the nation did before we did it," the titular star said at a recent press junket (via Digital Spy). He continued, referring to how difficult it was to keep the storyline a secret, "Without meaning to patronise at all, because I don't prescribe behaviours - although it's been reported that I do - my personal preference is being surprised in the moment of watching something rather than knowing ahead of time. But I also understand why everyone's desperate to know because it's frustrating. It's witty and loving and intelligent enough for people to actually really enjoy it."

Cumbebatch Freeman
Cumbebatch and Freeman film scenes for the upcoming season

See all our behind-the-scenes photos from Sherlock season three

"It's very satisfying... it's Mark Gatiss's script that we're doing and it's rather beautiful, as I would hope and expect. It's great," Freeman chimed in. "I guessed parts of it but it was unfair really because Steven and Mark had intimated to us some of the ingredients that it might be anyway, so I wasn't dealing with a complete blank canvas. I am more impressed with the people who have nothing to do with the show... they were quite close."

"It's not teasing them about the fate of a kidnapped relative," Moffat said in regards to whether he felt guilty after last season's cliffhanger ending. "It's a television programme! So not at all. That's storytelling."

"Also, Doyle threw him off a waterfall and left it for ten years, then it came back. We left it two and a half minutes!" Gatiss added. "We're quite nice. Also remember the great adage - the suspense is killing me, I hope it will last."

Sherlock returns to BBC 1 on 1 January for another three-part run.