According to official sources Martin Freeman, star of The Office, Love Actually, The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Sherlock, has reportedly turned down the starring role in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.
Freeman was offered a seven-figure salary to play Bilbo Baggins in the Lord of The Rings prequel film but he reluctantly declined as he was already committed to playing Sherlock Holmes’s sidekick Dr Watson in the BBC drama Sherlock.
"It was one of the most difficult decisions of his career. MGM, who are making the film, only got a formal offer over in the last couple of weeks. It was too late for Martin because he had already signed up for another series of Sherlock. It was agonising but he had no other choice," said a source close to Freeman.
Freeman and Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch have signed up to 20 weeks filming a new series of the hit new show next year.
Sir Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving and Andy Serkis are all still attached to reprise their roles in the prequel.
