Black Mirror star to play Sherlock Holmes in new TV series exploring untold chapter in life of iconic detective
Rafe Spall is the latest big-name actor to pick up the pipe and deerstalker.
It has been confirmed that Sky will air a new Sherlock Holmes series, titled The Death of Sherlock Holmes, which will star Rafe Spall (Black Mirror, Under Salt Marsh) as the iconic detective.
The drama is in production now, and comes from creators Claudia Bluemhuber (Fallen), André Küttel (Platzspitzbaby) and Pierre Monnard (Winter Palace). Küttel and Simone Schmid are writing the episodes.
The only other cast member for the series that we currently know of is Deleila Piasko (Transatlantic), who will play a woman living in the Swiss Alps, who Holmes meets after his disappearance at the Reichenbach Falls.
The series, co-produced across Switzerland, Germany and Belgium, is designed to fill in this gap in the timeline, between Holmes's disappearance in 1891 following his final duel with Professor Moriarty, through to his return in 1894.
The synopsis for the series, which will be released in 2027, says: "Set against the majestic and merciless Swiss Alps, the story follows an Englishman found barely alive in an icy mountain stream by local woman Alma and her young son, Franz. When the village doctor is found murdered, villagers turn on the boy – leaving the amnesiac stranger as his only hope.
"Though the man remembers nothing, flashes of razor-sharp deduction betray a hidden past. As unsettling fragments of memory return, he must confront an unnerving question: who is he really? What starts as an isolated Alpine mystery soon opens into a far-reaching conspiracy that draws the man closer to the truth of his past – and the legendary name he may once have borne."
Jonathan Ford, managing director of Sphere Abacus, which is handling international distribution, said in a statement: "Audiences continue to be enthralled by the exploits of Sherlock Holmes. "This new iteration, created by our friends at Silver Reel and recounting Holmes's completely unknown adventures during a mysterious and pivotal moment in Holmes’s life, is sure to delight viewers around the world."
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Meanwhile, Katie Keenan, group director of acquisitions at Sky, added: "We’re excited to come on board this smart new reimagining that opens up an untold chapter in the Sherlock Holmes story – anchored by the return of Rafe Spall to Sky in the leading role.
"Our partnership with Sphere Abacus continues later this year with the launch of contemporary mystery thriller Yaga, and we’re thrilled that The Death of Sherlock Holmes will join the most talked about show of the year with season 2 of Heated Rivalry on our slate for 2027."
Spall joins a long line of actors to have played Holmes throughout the years. Recent additions to the list include Robert Carlyle in Watson and Hero Fiennes Tiffin in Young Sherlock, while we will soon see Henry Cavill reprise his version of the character in Enola Holmes 3.
The Death of Sherlock Holmes season 3 will arrive on Sky and NOW in 2027 – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
