Sherlock producer Steven Moffat has previously revealed that he is preparing a fourth series of the hit detective drama. But now he has gone one step further, saying (half-jokingly) the BBC series will "continue until Benedict [Cumberbatch] gets too famous". The Hollywood Reporter's coverage of a Moffat and Cumberbatch Q&A at the Television Critics Association press tour also quotes the actor as adding: "I'm fine with it. I'm going to keep going with it … it's a schedule-providing thing … I love it. I find it very invigorating." Asked about why the writers had added Amanda Abbington as Watson's wife, Moffat said: "If you have a female perspective on the two men, it's very, very funny and very illuminating … They all see through Sherlock so fast … but John is still bamboozled." He added that Abbington will continue to be part of the series, despite a mixed reception from Sherlock fans: "Mary's absolutely here. We don't just off her. How would that be at the start of the next series? 'Where's Mary?' 'Dead!'" The producer also tackled the kiss between Sherlock and arch-villain Moriarty in the season three opener, part of one of the scenarios of how Sherlock faked his own death. "We got the idea from the palpable chemistry between Benedict and Andy [Andrew Scott]," said Moffat, giving credit to co-writer Mark Gatiss. He said Gatiss told him: "I've done something slightly cheeky." But fans who hoped that the pair might have really locked lips may be disappointed: "We cut it before contact, and indeed, sex, because that was wrong," said Moffat. Cumberbatch confirmed: "We didn't actually connect."
• This article was amended on 24 January 2014 to clarify that a quote came from Steven Moffat and not Mark Gatiss.
