Is the Sherlock Holmes character under copyright in the UK?

Characters are not copyrighted. They're trademarked. The literary or artistic work in which a character APPEARS is copyrighted.

The original Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have been out of copyright for years. You can find them freely and legally available in the public domain. However, in addition to copyright, Doyle also trademarked the Sherlock Holmes character, and that the trademark still belongs to his estate even though the copyright on the stories has expired.

Incidentally, that's the reason Star Trek: The Next Generation stopped doing Sherlock Holmes-based episodes. They couldn't get a licensing deal for the characters.

easily Watson himself set the significant personality to be Sherlock Holmes because each and every tale is about Holmes being Holmes fixing circumstances. in this difficulty Watson has set himself to be the "sidekick" and observer of the activities. Afterall the call isn't Watson's Advetures With some Chap called Holes. that is all about Sherlock because the significant concentration of each and every tale and Watson performing because the counter-stability.

yes the basic character is out of copyright, but that's strictly his doyle manifestation (copyright is the life of the author plus either 50 or 70 years), the bbc take on him of course is their copyright, but they don't own the rights to homles himself.

7 July 1930 (aged 71)= 2012= 82 years since doyle's death

so yes you are perfectly entitled to use sherlock, but not other people's images or work produced, they would of course be copyright..

http://screenrant.com/bbc-sherlock-cbs-elementary-...

citing your sources is KEY in these kinds of situations.......