The super villain: Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott declares his role in BBC’s Sherlock as arch-nemesis Jim Moriarty to be an absolute blast. “Every time he appears he gets great stuff to do. You get real bang for your buck.” Though Scott first made his mark in theatre – appearing in such award-winning productions as Cock and A Girl in a Car with a Man in London and in David Hare’s The Vertical Hour in New York – he has two more TV dramas coming soon. First, there’s psychological drama The Fuse, starring alongside Christopher Eccleston, for the BBC – “It’s a very human story about obsession,” he says – then an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s The Scapegoat for ITV.

After that there’s the third series of Sherlock to consider – well, possibly. Any hints about the resolution of season 2’s cliffhanger, which seemed to end with the deaths of Moriarty and Holmes? “I have to remain schtum. Even my mother doesn’t know what happens.”

Favourite sitcoms? Grandma’s House and Twenty Twelve. Olivia Colman and Jessica Hynes are brilliant.

Favourite childhood show? The Muppet Show: the theme music makes me excited even now. I used to watch the drama Chocky, too. There’s something about sophisticated drama for kids – it’s just great.

Guilty pleasure? Judge Judy. It appeals to some weird side of me, I like the way she deals with idiots. I got into it when I was doing Emperor and Galilean at the NT last year. You can’t go home and watch BBC4’s The History of Desks after Ibsen. 

Favourite US show? I’ve just started Mad Men. I want to be that person who watches it until 4am, but I don’t think I am.