Entertainment

Martin Freeman denies he thinks Sherlock ‘is not fun anymore’

The actor has said there are not imminent plans for a fifth series.
The actor has said there are not imminent plans for a fifth series. The actor has said there are not imminent plans for a fifth series.

Martin Freeman has said his role in Sherlock is  “a f****** delightful job” and denied reports that he thinks it is “not fun anymore”.

The actor, who stars as John Watson opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in the hit BBC series, recently spoke about the future of the show and said there are “not massively” talks about a fifth series of the detective drama.

Arriving at a special screening of his new film Ghost Stories, he clarified his feelings after reports emerged that said he no longer finds it enjoyable.

Ghost Stories special screening – London
Ghost Stories special screening – London Martin Freeman (Ian West/PA)

He told the Press Association: “To clear that up, in that interview I never actually said the words ‘Sherlock isn’t fun anymore’.”

He continued: “I never said Sherlock is not fun. Sherlock is fun.

“I said there are elements of it, the pressure, the expectation, that is not always fun.

“I never said Sherlock is not fun, because it’s a f****** delightful job, frankly.

“But of course fun is what you want to spend your life doing. Fun, thought-provoking things, hopefully, challenging things.”

Speaking about his role in Ghost Stories, he added: “This was as much fun as I’ve ever had. I was only on this for two weeks and Jeremy (Dyson, the writer and director) and Andy (Nyman, his co-star and writer and director) made it absolutely delightful.”

Ghost Stories special screening – London
Ghost Stories special screening – London Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson (Ian West/PA)

The British horror film comes shortly after the release of Black Panther, in which Freeman plays Everett K Ross, and the actor said he embraces the opportunity to make Hollywood tentpoles and smaller films.

He said: “What is important to me is doing films that I like doing. I am lucky enough to get to choose, to a certain extent, what I do and some of those things are big and some are small and I’m very happy just to do things that interest me. Some will be that size and some will be this size.”

Freeman stars in Ghost Stories with Nyman, Paul Whitehouse and Alex Lawther and said he was looking forward to showing it to his children.

Ghost Stories special screening – London
Ghost Stories special screening – London Martin Freeman, Andy Nyman, Alex Lawther and Paul Whitehouse (Ian West/PA)

He said: “They are seeing it tonight, I will either be a terrible parent for letting them watch it or I will be a hit.

“They like horror. I think kids do. Kids are always, I think, attracted to horror, I was.

“I wasn’t allowed to watch everything but who doesn’t like being scared in some situations? Everyone likes being frightened in a safe environment where you know you’re not really in danger. It’s one of our favourite pleasures as humans.”

Ghost Stories is released in UK cinemas on April 6.