While everyone was on a wave of euphoria from the Great British Bake Off final, BBC One decided to drop us another treat – the first full-length trailer for the Sherlock Christmas special.

Set in Victorian London, the tense trailer sees Benedict Cumberbatch return as the eponymous hero, complete with his famous deerstalker hat.

Joined by a moustachioed Martin Freeman as John Watson, the clip shows the two hurtling through the back streets of London, stumbling across gruesome murders and coming face-to-face with threatening new foes.

Noticeably missing is any sign of Sherlock’s brother Mycroft (played by Mark Gatiss) or arch-nemesis Moriarty (Andrew Scott), although Amanda Abbington returns as Watson’s wife Mary Morstan.

“The stage is set, the curtain rises, we are ready to begin,” Holmes begins.

Sherlock stars Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch
Sherlock stars Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch (Robert Viglasky/BBC)

Various eerie lines teased at the drama to come, including: “Every great causes has martyrs, every war has suicide missions… and make no mistake, this is war.”

Mysteriously, Watson asks Sherlock what made him like this, to which he answers, “Oh Watson, nothing made me. I made me.”

(BBC/Hartswood Films/Robert Viglasky)
How the pair normally look (BBC/Hartswood Films/Robert Viglasky)

The previous three series of the show have been set in the modern day, so this will be quite a change for fans.

Writer Steven Moffat confirmed the standalone special would see the pair back in the 19th century and will have a Victorian “ghost story” feel, but little other details are known.