Just a quick post, and a few weeks late, but Hollywood Reporter has announced that PBS has signed on to broadcast Sherlock (as well as a series based on the Aurelio Zen novels, and remake of Upstairs/Downstairs).

“Masterpiece” executive producer Rebecca Eaton. “These three series say everything about what ‘Masterpiece’ aims to be: iconic, rich with wonderful actors, witty, literate and timeless. I can’t wait to see them all.”

There are also a number of potentially interesting rumors floating around the net – someone from Cardiff claims that people on set think Sherlock will air in the UK in October 2010, and yesterday sources claimed to see David Tennant working with Martin Freeman in Cardiff, most likely on Sherlock.

Paul McGuigan’s been tweeting recently about rehearsals and prepping for shooting Sherlock. It seems they’re going to start shooting his episode(s) tomorrow, and McGuigan just tweeted the following:

Interesting! So, it looks like John Sessions will be guest-starring, and in a rather fabulous outfit as well. As an American, I’m primarily familiar with Sessions from his appearances on early seasons of Who’s Line Is It Anyway? and, given some of McGuigan’s other tweets, it sure sounds like Sherlock won’t shy away from the funny.

More updates as we get them!

Last week, The Guardian ran an article about the surge in television production in Cardiff, Wales. Starting with the success of Doctor Who, a vibrant community of industry professionals has emerged, making Cardiff now the #2 center of production in the UK, after London. Other BBC programs filmed in Cardiff include Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Casualty, Being Human, a remake of Upstairs, Downstairs and our very own Sherlock.

Hywel Thomas, spokesman for the marketing agency, Cardiff & Co., explains the situation as follows:

“The creative industries are thriving in Cardiff… The success of Doctor Who provided a platform to develop the skills and experience of local people within the industry and then attract further productions to the city [and] region. The diversity of the landscape is also a significant factor, with beaches and mountains within half an hour of a modern capital that has changed beyond recognition.”

Thomas’ evaluation of the situation seems right on – and right in line with media scholar Michael Curtin’s notion of media capital. Hartswood films, producers of Sherlock, estimate that their production alone will employ over a hundred people in the area!

Oddly, though, it seems that all of the production companies working in Cardiff are producing programs for the BBC – when is ITV going to get in on this fast-growing competitor to the London production scene?

A quick note today, picked up from the ever-ubiquitous Twitter. It looks like director Paul McGuigan (most recently of Lucky Number Slevin and Push) is back in the UK, prepping to film Sherlock sometime soon. From his Twitter account, posted a few days ago:

We haven’t yet seen any other names mentioned as directors (or writers, for that matter), so if anyone knows of any other production crew or cast information on the now-gearing-up-to-film Sherlock, please pass them along! Eventually, we’d love to have a corner of the site with upcoming news on the productions as they’re filming, and any additional information about the series it drips out would be great.

By the way, we’re also on Twitter. Follow us and give us a shout sometime!

Happy 43rd to the man on the tephelome, Mark Gatiss! It’s October 17th, and here at Sherlocking, we wish Sherlock’s new executive producer a happy birthday and the very best wishes for this coming (busy) year.