BBC Defend Cheeky Entertainment

BBC executives "thought very carefully" before including the pre-watershed nude scenes in Sherlock that drew so many complaints, but decided to go ahead because the drama is "cheeky entertainment", according to controller of drama commissioning Ben Stephenson. Speaking about the Sherlock footage of actress Lara Pulver, who plays dominatrix Irene Adler, Stephenson said he "sort of expected" complaints would be made. "We thought about it very carefully, we had lots of conversations about it," he confirmed. "Just because it's pre-watershed doesn't mean it has to be dull. You actually saw more of Benedict Cumberbatch than Lara. Sherlock is cheeky entertainment that takes risks like having text on screen."

In the New Year's Day episode, A Scandal in Belgravia, Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes meets his match in the form of Adler, who is naked when they first meet. However, thanks to the camera angles and Pulver's carefully placed arms and hands, viewers do not see her completely naked (although those with a sharp eye and a pause button can find a little something if so inclined). Pulver told the Radio Times this week that she found the role "really empowering".


Stephenson said that the complaints would be taken seriously but pointed out that about 10 million people watched the show and that it had high audience appreciation scores. He also warned those same fans they will have to wait at least until next year for more episodes of the hit show. When asked when the Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss-penned drama would be returning, Stephenson declined to answer and went on to say that viewers would have to wait for Sunday night's final cliffhanger episode of the current run to see why. Sherlock fans had to wait 18 months between series one and two, and have already been asking for more episodes. But the schedules of the cast and writers, the demands of the complex scripts and quality look of the show mean a fast turnaround is not possible.