‘Sherlock’ season 5 won’t return for at least 2 years: Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott poses for photographers on the red carpet at the world premiere of the new James Bond 007 film "Spectre" at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Britain, October 26, 2015. Reuters/Luke MacGregor

“Sherlock” could take at least two years to return, according to Andrew Scott. The 40-year-old Irish actor, who plays fan favourite Jim Moriarty in the BBC series, said he was doubtful that the show would even return.

Speaking with the UK chat program “The One Show” on Tuesday, Scott said fans might have to wait for a long time before a fifth season of the Benedict Cumberbatch-starrer is aired. By his estimate, the show wouldn’t return for another two to five years.

“I don’t think there’s another series of Sherlock coming soon,” he told the hosts, adding that the UK General Election might even come first. “We’re not doing [Sherlock] for another couple of years. Everybody got quite busy, you know? You want to keep it fresh and stuff like that.”

The UK General Election takes place Thursday, with the next schedule to take place five years later in 2022. Scott said they might film in two years, but he was likely just giving off numbers. Even Steven Moffat, series co-creator, wasn’t sure if there would be another season.

“If this is the last time – and I’m not planning on it to be but it might be – it is possible that we could end it,” he said in January at a special preview of the show. “We couldn’t have ended it on any previous series because they always ended on walloping, great cliffhangers.”

Spoilers warning: The following talks about ‘Sherlock’ season 4 episodes, which were aired in January.

The most recent episode, “The Final Problem,” indeed ended without unresolved issues. Sherlock (Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) started working on cases together again, even raising Watson’s daughter, Rosamund, together. Sherlock’s murderous sister, Eurus (Sian Brooke) was back in Sherrinford but in less secretive condition. Their parents were now aware of her existence, visiting her while she and Sherlock play the violin together.

Overall, it was a happy ending of sorts. And as Moffat said, there was no cliffhanger this time, unlike the previous seasons when the last episodes ended with someone dying or someone dead reappearing. If the show would unfortunately not be given another season anymore, at least there’s closure.

Even if the show returns, Scott’s involvement might be very limited, unless the episodes deal with a lot of flashbacks from then on. Moriarty is already dead, although a flashback scene in “The Final Problem” allowed the character to return.

Will there be a new @Sherlock221B before another #generalelection? #Moriarty fills us in ... _ #AndrewScott #theoneshow pic.twitter.com/etvU10cBKC
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) June 7, 2017