Louise Brealey

Set in the late 19th century, Henry Cyril Paget is the flamboyant fifth Marquess of Anglesey whose behaviour and extravagance have modern echoes.

An endearing outlier, Brian lives alone in a Welsh valley, inventing oddball contraptions that seldom work. After finding a discarded mannequin head, Brian gets an idea. Three days, a washing machine, and sundry spare parts later, he’s invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and proves a charming, cheeky companion. Before long, however, Charles also develops autonomy. Intrigued by the wider world — or whatever lies beyond the cottage where Brian has hidden him away — Charles craves adventure.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves in 1890s London in this holiday special.