Show creator Gatiss lashes out at Sherlock critics HOLMES UNDER THE HAMMER!
Tiny Tan beefs up to beat the bullies
SHERLOCK creator Mark Gatiss has hit back at people who moan that the show is too complicated.
Fans and critics have complained the new series, with Benedict Cumberbatch returning as the super sleuth, is hard to follow.
But Mark, who also plays Sherlock’s brother Mycroft, told viewers to switch off if they can’t keep up.
He said: “People ask if it’s good to challenge the audience. Of course it f***ing is. Why would you not want to challenge your audience?
“I did a phone-in after the Christmas special a few years ago and someone said it was too complicated for people to follow. I said ‘oh, go and pour some warm paste ED GLEAVE TV Editor into your mouth’. If you don’t want to be challenged, don’t watch it. It’s a complex and entertaining programme.
“Go and read a children’s book with hard pages if you don’t want to be challenged. We’re making the show we want to make. We don’t make it a certain way because fans are pressuring us.”
The current series reaches its climax tonight and the finale is expected to pull in record ratings.
Fans have already been dealt a string of shocks, including the arrival of Sherlock’s sister Eurus (Sian Brooke) and the death of Mary Watson (Amanda Abbington).
Producers spent months trying to keep the twists secret.
Mark said: “You have to be very careful. BEEFING up saved Britain’s smallest bodybuilder from suicide.
Millions of viewers saw 4ft 10in Choon Tan confidently tackling ITV game show Ninja Warrior UK last night.
But five years ago he was on the brink of killing himself after years of taunts over his height.
He said: “I used to get bullied a lot at school. It was verbal and physical. And it was hard to take. I found it difficult to deal with because I wasn’t happy with my life at that point.
“I’d go home every night and cry. I just didn’t really want to be alive. I was thinking about ending my life – I nearly did it once.” Choon was diagnosed as a teen with a rare bone growth disorder which affects one in 500,000 people.
He took up bodybuilding at 17 to boost his confidence.
The events manager, now 22, said: “I used to have depression and anxiety so I took up bodybuilding to take my mind off things.
“It helped me both mentally and physically. My confidence went sky high. I noticed changes You can’t leave things lying around because otherwise things can get out. Everything is watermarked.
“There is a big crew and a lot of people are involved. Things can easily slip out.
“It is hard to pull off a shock. All soap twists are flagged up three weeks before they air.
“Why don’t they have some faith in the audience and pull the rug out from under them?
“When you pull off one of those moments it is genuinely thrilling.”
Last week Mark dealt fans a blow at a BFI Southbank screening when he hinted tonight’s could be the last-ever episode.
See Sherlock: The Final Problem at 9pm on BBC One. ED GLEAVE in my body and I started to feel a lot more grounded. “I used to have confidence issues with girls. But I’m much better now. I get a lot of girls being flirty because of my physique.
“I get a lot of attention on nights out. Being short helps me stand out more.
“I feel a lot more at ease. I still get nasty comments but I ignore them.”
Choon was determined to prove the bullies wrong by storming the Ninja Warrior UK course.
After weeks of training he completed most of it with ease and only stumbled after missing a net by a few inches. He said: “I didn’t know if I’d be able to do the show with my height. On the day of filming I was scared. My whole body was pumping with adrenaline but I got through most of the course. It turned out my height didn’t matter.
“I hope that can inspire others. I want to show people that you should always try something.”