Martin Freeman has suggested that Sherlock is the "gayest story in the history of television".
Speaking to reporters after winning 'Best Supporting Actor' at the Philips British Academy Television Awards, Freeman explained that his character John Watson isn't just a "sidekick".
"It's a cliché to put it on someone else's shoulders, but it's really, really good writing and it's fantastic directing, and when you're not being written or directed to perform like a sidekick, you don't," he said.
"Obviously it's Sherlock's show but there's far more parity than I think there often is in that relationship. I know [creators] Steven [Moffat] and Mark [Gatiss] primarily wanted the show to be about that relationship as much if not more than anything else."
Freeman continued: "[It's about the relationship] and how it develops and how it changes and the things that wind each other up, the things that they genuinely sort of love about each other as well. It's the gayest story in the history of television... People certainly run with that which I'm quite happy with! But we all saw it as a love story. Not just a love story, but those two people who do love each other - a slightly dysfunctional relationship sometimes, but a relationship that works. They get results."
Freeman also revealed that he just heard "a bit of white noise" when it was announced that he had won 'Best Supporting Actor'.
"It's a strange thing," he said. "I'm really, really chuffed. I'm really chuffed. I'm very, very proud of the show and to be honest I'm proud of the work I did on it, so I'm very pleased.".