Steven Moffat, co-creator of BBC's "Sherlock," has said that the format of "Sherlock," 3 episodes each season after a gap of two years, has ensured that the show can go on for a very long time.

Speaking to Mark Sweney in The Guardian Speaker's Lounge at the Cannes Lions festival, Moffat said that "Sherlock" would have ended by now if they had done the conventional series format, which is 6 or 12 episodes each season. He said that Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman would not have agreed to do T.V, regularly, for such a long time.

Moffat said, "Had we done the conventional form of a T.V series, which is to do runs of six or twelve, it would be over by now, without doubt, it would be finished. Because they [Freeman and Cumberbatch] would never again commit that amount of time, that regularly to a TV, show, they just wouldn't, why would they?"

"But given the strange form of Sherlock, which is every two-and-a-half years we get together and we make three, means that it can go on for a very long time," Moffat said.

When Sweney reminded Moffat about his comment that Benedict has become so popular that, they cannot get him less sooner, Moffat said, "we can ... we can, we will be fine."

In an earlier interview, Moffat had lamented the popularity of Cumberbatch, saying, "it can be quite annoying too if you're scheduling a damn show." Also, He had revealed that BBC was initially not happy about casting Cumberbatch as Sherlock, as they did not find the actor sexy enough. "With Benedict Cumberbatch, we were told ... 'You promised us a sexy Sherlock, not him'."

There is still no word on the production date of "Sherlock" Season 4, which was originally scheduled to begin in autumn 2014. The actors' busy acting schedule is reportedly the main reason for the delay. The latest interview of Moffat almost confirms that the show will not be returning before 2016.