Benedict Cumberbatch slams Martin Freeman's 'pathetic' comments on Sherlock season 5

While Sherlock fans are still pining for a fifth season, its two biggest stars are seemingly in serious disagreement about the show's future.

Martin Freeman, who plays Watson on the hit BBC1 series, had previously expressed misgivings about a return to screens, explaining that the expectations of critics and fans made the series “not fun anymore”.

“It’s not a thing to be enjoyed,” he said in March. “It’s a thing of: ‘You better f***ing do this, otherwise, you’re a c***.’ That’s not fun anymore.”

Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Holmes, has since called Freeman's comments “pathetic” and that expectations are no reason to stop producing Sherlock.

“It’s pretty pathetic if that’s all it takes to let you not want to take a grip of your reality,” the actor told The Telegraph.

“What, because of expectations? I don’t know. I don’t necessarily agree with that.”

Other Sherlock alumni to have commented on the possibility of future episodes include Andrew Scott, Moriaty on the show, who said there probably wouldn't be more episodes for a long time.

Cumberbatch can next be seen in the superhero adventure Avengers: Infinity War. While Freeman heads the cast of British horror film Ghost Stories.