4. The Rumoured Cast
We still don't know a lot about guest stars for Series 8. The Paternoster Gang are a given of course, but aside from that, we've only had rumours. Game of Thrones star (and Jenna Coleman's boyfriend) Richard Madden seemed to fuel excitement when he commented about his interest in the show; coupled with Moffat's comments about only wanted a small circle to work with - Sherlock this year introduced Martin Freeman's real-life partner and dog and Benedict Cumberbatch's real-life parents into the show - it seems all the more likely that an appearance for Madden could be on the cards. Though it's renowned for not being the most trustworthy source on the net, Wikipedia states that he'll play "Thomas" for two episodes next series. That's a curious rumour though, considering that Tristan Beint played a character called Tom in 'The Day of the Doctor'; Beint actually replied to comments on Twitter that he was going to become a companion, neither confirming nor denying, but claiming that he wanted to return to the show. Sherlock star Martin Freeman also got the whoniverse excited, stating that he's a fan of the series. It seems like some fans are hoping for another male companion...