‘Sherlock’ season 4: Benedict Cumberbatch rules out ‘Doctor Who’ season 8 role

While you may have Mark Gatiss of “Sherlock” crossing over and writing a “Doctor Who” episode, just as you may also have Steven Moffat helping to run both series, there is one thing that it looks like you should not expect at any point in the near future: A crossover between the two series involving Benedict Cumberbatch.

While at a convention in Australia (per entertainment site The Iris), Cumberbatch ruled out the idea of starring in the other BBC series produced by Moffat with a very simple and direct message:  “I’m never gonna play The Doctor and [will have] nothing to do with the Whoniverse.”

Basically, there are two reasons why this is a perfectly understandable statement. For one, you don’t want too much crossbreeding with one Moffat show and the other, since you want the two to maintain separate identities and the last thing you want to see is The Doctor showing up and helping Holmes on a case. (Just the thought of that happening in any universe terrifies us.) Also, Benedict’s got too much going on with his movie and stage work. “Doctor Who” is an enormous commitment to take on. Not only do you have to spend more than half your year filming the season, but then there are numerous public appearances that are required along with international press. Being The Doctor is a title that must be held in great regard, and one of the reasons why there are so many is that it’s not a role that many can handle beyond just a few years.

Cumberbatch recently said that the future of “Sherlock” is still unclear, but we still have confidence that all parties involved will get it together. The ratings for the show are great, and critics love it.

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Photo: BBC One