Bafta gong for Sherlock creator

The man behind hit shows Doctor Who and Sherlock will be honoured at next week's TV Baftas.

Steven Moffat will pick up the Special Award at the event at the Royal Festival Hall in central London on Sunday May 27.

Moffat, whose other credits include Coupling and Murder Most Horrid, became executive producer on Doctor Who in 2008 and a year later joined up with Mark Gatiss to create Sherlock - a modern day take on Arthur Conan Doyle's distinguished detective, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Scot, who first made his name with children's show Press Gang, said: "Blimey. A Special Award. I didn't even know I was ill. So thrilled by this - especially after two years of Sherlock and Doctor Who, my two favourite shows ever.

"Of course the work, and the people I get to work with, has always been all the reward I need - a fact I'm very glad that Bafta has disregarded."

Bafta chairman Tim Corrie said: "Steven has had an outstanding year with Doctor Who and Sherlock, not to mention the feature film The Adventures of Tintin, and we are delighted to honour his contribution to television and the arts at the Bafta ceremony on May 27. He is one of the finest exponents of his craft and his award, presented in honour of the late, great Dennis Potter, is very well deserved indeed."

The awards, formally known as the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, will be hosted by Dara O'Briain and broadcast on BBC One.