The BBC One has released the first official image of the upcoming third series of Sherlock.

The photo shows both the series' main stars, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, The Telegraph reports.

The picture shows Sherlock staring into a cafe's open window at night in a stance suggesting he was walking by. Watson is shown staring downwards off-camera, while sitting near the window and holding a cup of coffee, unaware he is being watched.

The first episode of the series was written by co-creator Mark Gatiss and is called "The Empty Hearse." The episode is loosely based off of The Adventure of the Empty House by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Since the end of the second series aired in January 2012, fans have been wondering how Sherlock survived the fall. Well, they will have to only wait until Jan. 19 in the U.S., it was reported by Deadline.

The series' return to PBS was announced, but fans in the U.K. still do not have an air date. The series will air after another popular British program, Downton Abbey airs. Unlike Sherlock, Abbey has already been airing overseas.

image: Amazon