Sherlock & Co. - The Man with the Twisted Lip - Part One

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS - The most wonderful time of the year was upon us and I had the flat all to myself. But for a Bulldog and a Mouse of course. In this moment of quiet reflection on not just festive jollity but the year as a whole - I found myself with an unexpected Christmas present. A client. Just for me. Part 1 of 3 This episode contains swearing, sexual references, drug abuse Listener discretion is advised. A new clothing store has opened: www.sherlockwear.com For merchandise and transcripts go to: www.sherlockandco.co.uk For ad-free, early access to adventures in full go to www.patreon.com/sherlockandco To get in touch via email: [e-mail] Follow me @DocJWatsonMD on twitter and BlueSky, or sherlockandcopod on TikTok, instagram and YouTube.  This podcast is property of Goalhanger Podcasts. Copyright 2025.SHERLOCK AND CO. Based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Paul Waggott as Dr. John Watson Harry Attwell as Sherlock Holmes Marta da Silva as Mariana Ametxazurra John Brannoch as Wiggins Rhys Tees as Lascar Jessica Endonyan as Dayo Whitney Ant McGinley as D.I Tom Gregson  Additional Voices:Thomas MitchellsIvy LiaoVivian Ahn Joel EmeryAdam Jarrell Written by Joel Emery Directed by Adam Jarrell Editing and Sound Design by Holy Smokes Audio Produced by Neil Fearn and Jon Gill Executive Producer Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sherlock, this... Are you serious? An early Christmas present? We didn't have to do this, you big detective indeed... Sorry, what? What? What is this? You're welcome! You are now a Sherlock and co-member go to patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and co.

Sherlock. Did you get me a Patreon membership for Christmas? Yes. You said it was the perfect Christmas gift. Yeah, but not. Not for me. I run the members club. Yeah, no, this is great. Love it, mate. I, um, I love it. Merry Christmas. Yeah, you too. Give the gift of Sherlock and Co membership today.

Who are you talking to? Oh, right, the listeners. Yeah, good. Good work. Oh, oh, oh, Merry Christmas. I'm not going to do it all in this voice. That's even annoying me. Hi all, welcome to a Christmas adventure. I will be your Christmas adventurer for this one. It's that time of year, so why not gift your loved one a Patreon membership? Go to patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and co. Or go to the various shopping options we have. Explore the links in the description. What we got for you?

Swearing and all around, I want to say seediness, but that may come across. snobbish. No, no, I'm sticking with seediness. I'm going to go with that. We go to drug abuse, we go to sex work, we go, where else do we go? Well, you'll find out. Strap in, get cracking, and I'll see you at the end. Hey, hands off my Christmas pies.

I washed my hands yesterday. What's the problem? The problem is, I've had my eye on that tart, and you've swooped in. Watson, I feel I must rectify your misogynistic language. Her name is Ruby St. Clair. She is a friend of mine, and I do not wish for her to feel uncomfortable at our Christmas party. Sherlock. Yes. I'm talking about that.

Your indispensable key to the city, your human encyclopedia of London, is eating my turkey berry tarts. Off! You know, at Christmas people usually feed the homeless? They don't steal food off them. They're mine. And you've eaten... Eight, you know... Twelve...

You've eaten twelve. One for each day of Christmas. What does that even mean, Wiggins? I don't know. I need a cigar. Have you got one? You got any brandy too. I do not have cigars and brandy.

Why not? Oh, um... What was the reason? Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, because we're not in the drawing room on the Titanic. What does that even mean, John Boy? I will take you to the brandy, Wiggins. Ah, thank you.

Where do we have brandy? Exactly. Can I have one? Sherlock. Sherlock. My name is Dr. John Watson. Once of the British Army Northumberland Fuselier Regiment. Now, a true crime podcast that are based in central London.

I don't have much experience in criminology. So this is mostly a record of how I met possibly the most brilliant and, bizarre person I have ever and will ever know. Join me as I document the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Welcome back to this Christmas special edition of Night Night with Nigel. That was Mandy May White with Snow is Falling and that was for Stephen and Diane in Northampton who are celebrating their 30th Christmas together this year and they're doing that by emigrating to Dubai. country has gone to the...

Okay, well, quite a long letter. They, yes, they're spreading Christmas cheer to the Arabian Gulf. Charlie in South End says, I would like to say, Merry Christmas to my beautiful wife of 17 years old. To... Wait, 17...comer. Okay, no, yeah, that needs a comma there, Charlie, wife of 17 years, comma, old age has brought us even closer together, and I can't wait to start 2026 with you by my side. Beautiful.

Charlie asks, Nigel, can you please, please play? I didn't know I loved you by Gary Glitter. Um, no, I don't think. I won't, um, profess to have expert knowledge, but I have skimred the station's policy on this and we do not play songs by that particular artist and a few others actually who will sadly remain nameless. I mean most of them are dead. I've seen the list. But yeah, sorry Charlie, that is nonce, not put your teeth in Nigel. That is not something I can do. Ruby and Lee are, no, no, sorry, that's Ruby in Lee in Southeast London says this message is for my beloved husband, Neville, who went missing around this time five years ago. Oh, Ruby, I'm so sorry. Ruby goes on to say, I know you're still out there. I and our beautiful boy, Noah, miss you so much.

He still gets those secret gifts you leave him every year. Please, please come home to us. Wow. Well, for Ruby and Noah and indeed Neville, It's Cozy for Christmas by the Stargazers. All packed? You got my gifts for La Familia. They will be very, very happy. Tea selection, Big Ben Key Rings and Sherlock and Co. merch, you can't go wrong. You cannot.

And you, my big drooly friend, I will see you in the new year. Yes, I will, yes I will, and you will get... Well, I can't tell you what you're getting for Christmas, but it is from a very expensive meat market, and it really stinks, so I know it must be good. Okay, bye-bye. Bye-bye. Have a good one. Message me when you land.

Bye-bye. And then there were two, my friend. Well, me, you and Graham. Two in a bit. So what do we think about a walk in the park? There may be a Christmas Guinness or two in the volunteer. Hmm? I'm guessing that snort sound is a yes.

Come on then. Hello everyone. I hope the Christmas season is treating you well. in all of its twinkly, jingly warmth. As you may be able to tell, I am the only human at 221B Baker Street this year. I will of course pay Carol Watson a visit over the Christmas period, but yeah, Mariana is heading back home for some family fun, and Sherlock is working away over this period.

What that means, I don't quite know. But, yeah, he's not the most forthcoming man, so that might be his way of saying he's also spending time with family. Yeah, he didn't want to talk about it, I didn't want to probe. So here we are. The greenery of Regent's Park is crunching beneath my feet. A light frosty sheen clings to every surface. The swans, the ducks.

and, well, the one or two geese that didn't get the migration memo move slowly across the icy waters. Ah, got to say, the city feels quiet, like it's having a breather. All those Christmas celebrating residents have jumped on planes, trains, packed up cars and gone to family and friends the world over, I expect. universities are emptied, schools closed, out of office emails are pinging out from every commercial building around the place, it is a different London, that is fair to say. film. What do you think? Home alone would be pretty apt, wouldn't it? Not bad, shout. I finished

Sherlock's Advent calendar chocolate. It was delicious, but I might need to think about how I replace that in case he suddenly appears. And, um, you know, whisper it, but maybe, maybe I cook that beef Wellington I have. Yeah. Not a bad idea. Cook that baby, go halves on it. Well, all right, maybe I'll have the majority, but you can get a few chunks in your bowl. Hello. Hello. Hi. You're okay? Yes, I'm just waiting for a friend.

Okay. Are you a friend of Mariana? Because she's in Spain for a few days. No, I am a friend of John. John Watson? Yes. That boy is up for making new friends... Dio.

Dio. Sorry, I don't recall where I know you from... Oh, you are John Watson? Yes. I'm Dio Whitney. My husband is Issa Whitney Oh, University of London Yes

Yes, he said He's shown me your detective show And he said that you are university together Yeah Oh bloody hell, that's a blast from the past Hey, the ghost of Christmas past Oh God, sorry I didn't, I didn't, um

Do you want to There you go, Dio Thank you Got an abundance of chocolates and biscuits too if that's needed. Don't feel bad about taking them. I will thank you in January. Sorry about the ghost joke

if Issa is no longer with us. I'm so sorry. He is. He is alive for now. Oh, okay, okay. Right, right. Is there anything I can help with? I can't find him.

is, I mean, maritally, is everything... It's been a lot, a lot worse. We are strong, we are strong for our children, you know? Yeah, of course. And I thought he was happy, even with everything. Scoliosis, if I remember correctly. Yes, a few years ago he had become addicted to Kodin. He had a lot of pain after physiotherapy.

program and he was prescribed them then i found out he was getting friends to prescribe it for him and then when they would no longer do it he was doing it himself yeah i remember getting uh i got an email from him in um 2020 2020 2021 maybe that would be around the right time yeah he found it very difficult to detach himself from the painkillers and he had told me that he had substituted the addiction with something else i asked he said it was safe he was doing it in a controlled way and this would not affect his lifestyle i i just assumed it was cannabis that kind of made sense to me i had heard it before it didn't seem all that bad but i can understand why isa might be embarrassed about that especially with kids now

so yes I thought it was that and it's not that I don't think so you don't think so this summer just gone one day before he headed to work

he left his phone no for long not all day he came right back maybe three or four minutes after he left but I saw he had a reminder for an appointment

meant at a place called clinic, like clinic, but with K's instead of the C's. K-L-I-N-I-K? That's right. Okay. And I thought, well, no, I didn't think much about it. But I get to message that evening in. He has to stay out late for work, and he's going to get a hotel. I think all right, that's okay.

But in September, I see the reminder again. Clinic. And the same thing happens again. I have to work late. Hotel. October. Same again. Then November. The same. In fact, twice in November. Clinic notification. Night in a hotel. So, what day are we today? Monday. Okay, so I spoke to him. I confronted him on Friday night. I was gentle. I said I was here to help. He would not tell me. He begged me, begged me John to not take this away from him. He kept saying this, Dayu, do not take this from me. And I said, what, Issa? Take what from you? Is it a woman? Do you have somebody in the city

for yourself? We don't settle the argument. We're getting too loud. The children are in bed. We say we will discuss it over the weekend. I wake up the next morning. And he's not there. He's not there. He's not there. with Canada's Kindest Community, celebrating Acts of Kindness Nationwide, with a chance at 100,000 donation for the winning community and a 2026 holiday caravan stop. Learn more at Canada's Wonderland.com.

Hello, mate. Have you seen Wiggins? Ah, yeah, he's over there by Waterloo Bridge. Ah, lovely, thank you. Merry Christmas. Oh, Merry Christmas to you, man. Oh, here we go. Here to take more from me, are you? Well, yes, actually. Full of Christmas cheer, aren't you, John Pall? Correct. I, um, I forgot to give you your Christmas gift.

Oh, my Christmas gift now, is it? Oh, come on, Wiggle. We go way back. You're a bloody good friend. You are. So, I got you, ta-da. Is that a box of cigars? It is a box of cigars. Yes, the very finest money can buy. Well, the finest my money can buy. Thank the listeners, too.

They helped out. Oh, thanks. These are decent. Well, I have decent listeners. That buy harmful tobacco substances for homeless men in London, apparently. That's, yeah, that's top, John. That's proper stuff. Merry Christmas man.

Well, to you two, mate. To you, too. Um, if you were feeling the Christmas cheer, swelling up inside you. Right. And you felt like you needed to act upon that spirit of this, the most wonderful time of the year. You could actually give me a gift. Right. Do you see any wrapping paper about the place, John Boy? Doesn't need to be a physical gift. Ah, ah! Oh, I didn't need a home, either. People get lonely this time a year, pal. I hear you. No, we can't get off. Get off. Jesus, what do you want, man? Spit it out. I want. I want.

some information, all wrapped in a bow and nestled under my tree, please. Speak normally. I want to know about a place. A place? Yeah, a place I can't locate, but I know exists. Name. Clinic, K-L-I-N-I-K. Nothing online about it, at all.

Yeah, I know, but I'm not going in there unless I have to. What? Who you looking for? Issa Whitney, my age, my height. Poor fella. Shut up. Shaved head, black, has scoliosis, so quite an unusual. But the wonky spine thing, yeah. Scoliosis, yep.

A friend of mine, she rubbed this fella down the other week. Said he was in a bad way. Thought he might hurt himself or someone else. What? How'd you even know that? Because I know everything. Wiggins. This way, John, boy. What do you mean? Rubbed him down. Wiggins!

Hello, Mr. Wiggins. Hey, Cassie. Hi. John, this is Cassie. Hi, John. You want a Christmas rub from a professional girl? No, I'm all right, actually. Oh, and John, this is Cassie as well.

Hello, Mr. John. Hello, Mr. Wiggins. Yeah, hi, hello there. And she's Cassie there, and that is Cassie. Right. It's what it says on the visa. They all share it, and they know more efficient that way. Save the planet. Just print the one farm and all take the same name and address.

The Chinese are seriously clever, man. Hello, everyone. Sorry, why have they all got so many security cameras? To watch for police. For who? Sorry? Police. Right, why? Mr. John, you can't get naked now.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait, hold on a second. Mr. Aza. Yes, he was in there, ten days ago. Ten days ago, right, and you sensed he was distressed? Very tears, crying, but not from the pain. He was very sad. He said very funny things. Funny things like, um, like what?

They don't make sense to me. As in what, like a language very? That it was total blah blah. No sense. He in and out of thief. Eyes very heavy. Right. What's... What are you thinking? Cassie. You still know Laskar, a clinic. I know Mr Laskar, yes. Could you tell him, uh...

Tell him Wiggins is common. Yeah, thanks for that, mate. Thanks a lot. People have massages naked, John. What's the problem, man? They're looking out for police. You're not looking down on women that might be involved in sex work from time to time, are you? No, no, no, no, absolutely not. Then what's your problem? Why are you judging them? Alright, fine, fine, I apologise.

So you should. Snobby bastard, man. Jesus. What is clinic Wiggins? Where is it? We're not far. Get in! Oh, nice work, mate. We'll make brief work of this. Not a place to be excited about pal. For nearly 200 years it was a leaky, damp old dungeon. that served the opium addicts of the city.

It was an opium then? Yep. It doesn't sound like one now. It sounds quite upmarket, if anything. Kinnick with the K. The K is for ketamine, John. Oh shit, of course. Issa is using it for pain relief.

He's in pain still. And now, if he's in there, we bet he's addicted. Oh, Jesus. Temptation comes for all of us, John Palin. You have to fight with everything in your heart, in your gut and in your arse to keep it at bay, to keep the bad bastard outside your city walls.

Because the second you let one through, the second you let your guard down, it's never just one. It's another and another and another and another and you think you can handle it but you can't. Before you even arm yourself to take it on, to rid yourself of this invader. Time's up. You've lost.

You've lost. Right, yeah. Well, Merry Christmas, mate. Just through here. Right down this alley. Yeah, that's the one. Where are we exactly? Swandum Lane, Blimehouse. You think they're just going to let us walk in?

No. Right. So, what is the game plan? Just ask if ice is in there and see if they can escort him out? Last car I ain't going to do that for you. But Cassie has warned him I'm coming. Oh my God, you're going to beat him up? No, I'm not going to beat him up. I'm going to get the nod to go in there, and I'm going to drag your friend out for you.

They'll let you do that? If they think he's one of mine, yeah. What makes you so sure? A little bit my fourth time this year. Oh. Stay off the drugs, John. Tell Sherlock that. I do.

Often. Hello? What's down there? A lot of loss so. I'd say. Where's your man, Laskar? He'll be tending to his... Patience.

Patience. Victims. Take a pick. Ah, here we go. Oh, see the little elf. But where's your sack of big fluffy beard, eh, Wiggins? Laskar, this is John. Hey, Chris.

Okay. I haven't got anyone for you. You do. And he's one of mine. No. Checked. None of your lot. Now, if you want treatment, put your phones and devices in the lockers and head on through. You can close the locker, mate. You're not taking my phone. What makes you so sure that you don't have one of mine in there, by the way?

Got the high rollers today, for the most part. None of your little street urchins. I thought you were so low you had no one to look down on, Laskar. Watch it. You have a doctor in there. His name is Issa Whitney. John? He suffers from scoliosis and he needs professional attention. A crippled man is entitled to self-medication.

That crippled man is a leading practitioner. He has a wife and children. And a bad habit. That we will help him fix. We don't break them out of their stupus. Oh, yeah? We're not. Bad for business.

I bet. Come back in the morning. I'll see that he paces himself. All right, lass. No. John, excuse me? Bring him out here. I'm not going to ask again.

Wiggins. Who is? this exactly. Never mind who I am. This, here, is the phone number of the greatest detective this country has ever produced, possibly the most important private investigator in the world. If you do not let us through, I call the number. And what's he going to do? Find out every single thing about you. A phone number? Uh-huh. You think I'm scared of a phone number, do you?

You should be. Try me. I'm going to do it. Oh, I'm sure. Right, this is it. Oh, I'm bracing myself. You made me do this. What?

Where is that coming from? The lockers. Sherlock! Looks like you're great, detective. There's a bad habit, too. I'll send him out when he's done. Sherlock! Keep your voice down, hey?

Don't want to wake your pal. Shut the fuck. What's that now? Hey? Whoa, hey, put the knife away. You shut your mouth. And I'll grant that wish, little man. No, no, I just...

Now, shut it. Lasker. Out. Oisa Whitney is in there. I sit out. The pair of you out. John, I am literally, I am out the door. And do this, do this before your Christmas break.

It's not a Christmas break. I'm a detective. I'm old a substantial amount of time back due to the hours of work, all right? Can you give me hand with these gifts? No, I mean, yeah, I will. Tom, I think Sherlock is in there. And where is this exactly? Clinic.

A clinic? Good for him. About time. No, it's a... It's a ketamine. Alright, picture an opium den Now put some wellness bullshit spin on it Okay, you got that? Not really

We've got to get him out of there And another guy as well, actually God sake Anything else? Tom, I know this isn't right Okay, this place There is something really, really wrong What did Sherlock say he was doing exactly?

He said he was working Right, well, there you go Tom, please, please, mate It's Christmas, please Even if he's planning to... Even if he wants to stay in there until New Year's Day. You and I and Gwen, no, he can't. He can't...

He can't spend Christmas in there, mate. He can't. Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa. I hope you're planning on chopping Brussels sprouts with that thing, son. Tom Gregson, Scotland Yard. You can't just come in here. Oh, yes, I can. This is a private business.

I'm having to look around. Show me what you go. got here. I'm not showing you my place of work, sir. You show me yours, I'll show you mine. How about that? Yeah! Get off! You can't do, you can't do this. Good God. Right, pick out a couple of things, then we're off. Merry Christmas. Thank you, mate, thank you. Excuse me, hello. No, sorry mate. Oh!

Steped on. Jesus, you're going in the recovery position. Best be safe. Right. Um, sorry. Excuse me. Aye sir. Isa Whitney. Got any cash, boss? No, I do not. Why? Watch where you're treading. How about you watch where you're lying around while you're off your tits? Get off me. Where is this man? No phones in here. Oh, sorry, you have a screen time detox, are you? God, you need to see a doctor. It eases my face. I'm talking about the wounds on your face.

You need to see a doctor. Do you understand me? Mm-hmm. Leave him alone. How about you, mind your own business? Can't you see the man's disfigured? Hey, I said leave it. Shut up. Who are you telling to shut up, mate, eh?

You! I'd suggest you move out of my face. Out of my face right now. You ate my chocolate. My Advent calendar chocolate, you deceitful, little bastard John. Me, deceitful. No apology either. Deary me. I am this close, this close to punching you directly in your face.

Do you know that? What are you doing here? What are you doing here? Why are you following me? Why are you always following me? No, why are you always following me? Every case I do by myself, you are lurking in the background. Excuse me, this is my case.

It's mine. It's mine. Razor Whitney is my friend. Wait, what? Stop. You stop. Look, just... I need to get Issa Whitney now.

He has got a family. Sherlock, he is in a lot of pain. It is Christmas. How many times have you professed that it's Christmas just to get your way in here? I haven't. How many times? That's probably the third. Honesty at last.

Find him and meet me outside. I'll get him a cab. Thank you. Hot Christmas booze. How kind? Thought you'd need it? Ketamine not acceptable, but alcohol acceptable? Interesting. No, not interesting, actually, very ordinary, uninteresting logic. You think alcohol is not harmful? Extremely interesting. Stop saying interesting and no, I don't think it isn't harmful. Of course it is, but Look, just because society indulges... Here we go, society.

Society indulges in things that are harmful does not mean that we then get to extrapolate that further down the line and say, oh no, this is fine, because alcohol also bad. Yeah, oh no, this is... No, I'm just going to shove heroin in my arm. It's only literally 10,000 times stronger than pure alcohol, and that bad, so bad is fine. That bloke stepped on my toe.

That's bad. Murder also bad, so I'll murder him. Bluh, stab, dead. Ugh. You're scaring the children. Yeah, and you're scaring me. Why? Because, Sherlock, you...

You were in a crack den during the Christmas holidays. It wasn't a crack den, and I wouldn't frequent such a thing, because crack cocaine use has become too talkative, and you know I can't tolerate that. You know what I mean, I know what they do there. I know what you're on. You don't. Wiggins told me, it's ketamine.

That's why we're arguing about ketamine, because you're taking ketamine. I thought we were arguing about... ketamine because Issa Whitney is on ketamine. Both, it's both. I'm not taking ketamine, John. Sherlock. I'm not.

Oh. Then... What are you doing in there and why would you lie to me? I didn't lie to you. Yes, you did. No, I didn't. You did. You said you were away working. And I was.

What? I was working. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform. This station is Hibber Green. Every Christmas for five years. for five years. You've been working on this for five years? Yes.

How did I not know this? Because I'm ashamed, I suppose. Ashamed of what? That I haven't solved this case. Ruby, a friend from the Christmas party. Yes. Once a client, now a friend. Now I suppose.

A source of guilt. She, the rose. Yet its thorn digs into me. my side. What's, what did she come to you for? Her husband, Neville Sinclair, disappeared five years ago. He was a rather successful trader in the city, married to Ruby and had a son together, Noah. Noah? Noah has Angelman syndrome. Angelman, I, I'm not familiar. A deletion or mutation of chromosome 15, nonverbal, global development delay, learning complications. Wow, that is tough for Ruby.

Ruby's husband and Noah's father, Neville, went missing on Christmas Eve 2020. His coat was dredged from the Thames three months later. A man, Mr Boone, was arrested for his murder that summer and later released. Lack of evidence. Right. Tricky one. But, Watson, the real tricky thing about this case is what it asks of me. What does it ask of you?

What this case asks of me is to believe in Christmas miracles. How exactly? Because every 25th of December Noah wakes up to a gift from his father.

We will shortly be arriving at me. This is my stop. Wait, wait. This year I'd like to give them the gift they really want. You think you can figure this out after five years? The festivities have got me feeling that anything is possible.

It is the season, dear Watson. And Sherlock Holmes is coming to town. To binge this adventure in full and without ads, go to patreon.com forward slash Sherlock and co. ...andahs... ...their...

...their... ...where... ...I... ...the... ...with... ...the... ...the... ...the...

...and... Thank you.