BBC 'Sherlock' Season 4 Air Date & Premiere: Is Benedict Cumberbatch Sexiest Sherlock Holmes Ever?

Step aside, Robert Downey, Jr. and Sir Ian McKellen, British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has been named the sexiest and hottest Sherlock Holmes, according to reports.

The 38-year-old actor, who plays the titular character on "Sherlock," has made the sleuth more popular and irresistible than ever. Cumberbatch has gained acclaim for added his own twist to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic character, and he's earned the BBC series a devout following. That said, it wasn't the series' fans who decided that the Cumberbatch made Sherlock more toothsome (though they would agree), but the show's executive producer Mark Gatiss, who said that Cumberbatch "made Sherlock Holmes sexy."

Since premiering in 2011, Cumberbatch and the entire ensemble have managed to ensnare viewers, and seduce them with the promise of intrigue, unapologetic genius and attractive wit.

"We all are extremely proud of Benedict Cumberbatch. Sherlock turned him from a respected actor into a star," Gatiss, who plays Sherlock Holmes' older brother Mycroft in the series, said to Big Issue in an interview. "That happens very rarely, and he is keen to keep playing the part because he knows how much it has done for him, how much people love him playing it, and he loves it as well."

The Academy Award-nominated actor has found success outside of "Sherlock," but dedicated fans (often known as 'Sherlockers' and 'Holmies') are still most smitten with Cumberbatch's "Mr Darcy-esque" portrayal of Sherlock. Although Cumberbatch's depiction is sexless and explicitly uninterested in sex, he's managed to become desirable to the public.

"He is unattainable. He explicitly claims no interest in either sex, therefore he becomes very desirable. But the way Ben plays him and the way he looks is quite Byronic. He has made Sherlock Holmes sexy," said Gatiss.

The fourth season of the BBC series is expected to air during the early part of 2016. Also, the time-warped, Victorian-era Christmas special episode will precede the fourth season.

Although viewers still have a few months to wait, they can take solace in the fact that series co-producer Steven Moffat tends to very generous when it comes to hints, clues and spoilers, including the fact the upcoming season will be better and darker than ever.