Ben East

'It's magical and very normal in the same moment,' says one Sherlock fan, as we go behind-the-scenes on a London shoot to witness the TV show's enduring appeal.

All-conquering Sherlock returns to our television screens on New Year’s Day. In a regional exclusive, stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Mark Gatiss tell us why the show is more popular than ever.

Carrie Fisher’s death is being mourned by all sections of the arts and entertainment community, from fellow actors to rock stars and authors. Here, we reflect on five ways the actress and writer changed the face of popular culture.

Who needs Santa Claus when we have the Doctor to deliver our festive TV highlight? We visit the set of the Doctor Who Christmas special and chat to star Peter Capaldi and writer Steven Moffat.

In a regional exclusive, we visit the set of the Doctor Who Christmas special and get to step foot inside that famous blue police box.

Salley Vickers tells The National about her book Cousins, a family drama that draws on her past as a psychotherapist.

The spectres set a rather annoying tone from which the book never quite recovers.

Plus: Exit Through The Bookshop with Nadeem Aslam's The Golden Legend and the story of how Lord of the Rings came to be.

Five episodes of the weekly show have been released so far, with seven more to come in season one, the finale of which is currently filming in Dubai.

The paintings and drawings of award-winning architect Zaha Hadid show where the ideas for her buildings came from.

Plus: Monroeville to honour Harper Lee and new novel about Donald Trump coming soon.

Small Great Things, which deals with race and prejudice, plays out like an extended version of the TV series Law and Order.

John Pipkin tells us about his new novel, which is based on the life of astronomer William Herschel.

The author's wisdom-laden worldview shouts loudest in this book rather than its fascinating subject – the life of Mata Hari.