Sherlock finale leaked online before BBC airing

The final episode of Sherlock’s fourth season was illegally uploaded online in Russia yesterday before it was aired on British television last night.

BBC Worldwide, the international arm of Sherlock broadcaster the BBC, issued a statement confirming it was aware of the leak, saying: “BBC Worldwide takes breaches of our stringent content security protocols very seriously and we have initiated a full investigation into how this leak has occurred.”

The official Sherlock twitter account added: “If you come across it, please do not share it. #KeepMeSpoilerFree.”

The third and final 90-minute episode, His Final Problem, saw old secrets catch up with detective duo Sherlock and Dr. Watson. It aired on BBC One at 9pm.

The episode hit a season-long ratings low, taking 5.9 million viewers compared to 8.1 million that watched the first one on New Year’s Day. However, these figures are expected to increase when viewings from on-demand services are included.

Sherlock was co-created and executive-produced by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. It is produced by Hartswood Films and distributed internationally by BBCWW.