Ever since Martin Freeman popped up on screens in the early 2000s in the original The Office, he has held a special place in the hearts of the British public. From playing the awkward John in Love Actually, to trusted side-kick Dr. Watson in BBC‘s Sherlock, to the Hobbit of all hobbits Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy, his range is impressive. Yet one of his underrated but must-see roles is in the 2019 true crime drama series A Confession.
It is a harrowing and emotional watch, inspired by a devastating true story. The six-part drama, released in 2019, is based on the death of Sian O’Callaghan. She was a 22-year-old woman who went missing in 2011 after a night out and was killed by Christopher Halliwell after getting into his taxi. He was later arrested and given a life sentence. In the ITV drama, Freeman takes on the role of the real-life detective, Det Supt Steve Fulcher, who broke police protocol to solve Sian’s murder, risking his own job.
When the show first aired, it was highly praised by reviewers and viewers alike. The Guardian gave it four out of five stars, commending Freeman and his co-star Siobhan Finneran’s acting: “Martin Freeman plays Fulcher with quiet authority, digging deeper into himself with every twist of the case. Siobhan Finneran as Sian’s mother, Elaine, shows us the uncommon courage of people in uncommon circumstances.” On IMDb, viewers have given it high ratings, with one saying, “Brilliant acting, well written storyline. I was hooked straight away and binged watched it in a day. Martin Freeman’s performance was fantastic.” Another added: “Good story, great acting and well paced. At no point did I feel like it was dragging.”
Leading the cast is Martin Freeman as Det Supt Steve Fulcher. You’ll likely know Freeman from series such as The Responder, Sherlock, The Office, and Fargo. He has also led movies like The Hobbit trilogy and Miller’s Girl. Starring alongside him as the mother of Sian O’Callaghan, Elaine Pickford, is Siobhan Finneran, best known for roles in Downton Abbey, Happy Valley, The Stranger, and Cold Feet. Other cast members include Joe Absolom, Charlie Cooper, and Imogen King. All six episodes are available to stream for free on ITVX now.
In other news, it has been nearly a decade since Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman shared the screen as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson on the hit BBC series. But they were together again on Friday, July 10, at Wimbledon. The Sherlock stars were seen sitting together, with Cumberbatch’s wife, Sophie Hunter, between them, in the royal box on Day 12 of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Also pictured in the same box are film director Baz Luhrmann, broadcaster Louis Theroux, Rike Nooitgedagt, Dutch footballer Virgil van Dijk, and comedian Sandi Toksvig.
Over the course of four seasons and one special, from 2010 to 2017, Cumberbatch and Freeman starred as the iconic sleuth and doctor who lived at 221B Baker Street. Following the end of the series, fans wanted a fifth season, but the two stars had different opinions on the matter, partly due to fans’ reactions. It has become clear there will not be another season, making this reunion extra special. When TV Insider caught up with Mark Gatiss, co-creator of the series with Steven Moffat, in January, he noted, “Sherlock is a huge part of my life and career. I’m forever grateful for it. It’s strange that it has been nearly 10 years since we stopped. But it still resonates in extraordinary ways.” Gatiss added, “Martin messaged me out of the blue the other day. He was in a hotel in Croatia. He said, ‘Hey, I’m just watching Sherlock. Very proud.’ It was very touching.”
