Brettcon 2: The Return presented by The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast

Hello friends! We at The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast are proud to bring you another event to celebrate this wonderful series that so many around the world enjoy. After the success of 2024's Brettcon event and the astonishing and delightful feedback we received from it, there was clearly so much love for this show and desire for celebrating it that we decided to dip our toe in the event waters again and bring you all Brettcon 2. This time, however, it was imperative to us that we held it in the home of Granada Television, the production company that we all owe so much to, and so Brettcon 2 is going North as we "Return" the show to the place it was made, to Manchester, England. Manchester is regarded by many to be the UK’s second city and has a huge cultural footprint, so there will be plenty for you to do and visit as well as Brettcon.

Because this is such a special place for all the fans of the show, and such a special place to be holding our event with so many exciting opportunities, this year isn't just about one day-long event, it’s about an entire weekend of festivities. We have planned, not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 events!! Therefore, we are delighted to be able to bring you, our community, 3 days of events to celebrate this timeless show, bringing cast, crew and fans together to mark this special occasion. Featuring Q&A panels, meet and greets, exclusive merchandise, memorabilia, location tours, and one-off episode screenings! Here's the schedule as it stands, more details can be found further down:

Friday 18th September -  Location Walking Tour (AM & PM) in Central Manchester, hosted by some of the Granada Crew who worked on the show - register your interest by purchasing a ticket.

Friday 18th September - Dinner on Baker Street at the old Granada Studios in the evening - an exclusive opportunity to join us, cast and crew from the show and fellow Brettons for a buffet meal on the actual site where the Baker Street set stood. 

Saturday 19th September - Brettcon 2: The Return - A day-long event celebrating this great show, comprising of panels, screenings, prop displays, merchandise, autographs, photos and lots of surprises. This is not to be missed! (*VIP option available. See below)

Sunday 20th September - The Dancing Men Celebration at Leighton Hall - a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch one of the best loved episodes from the  series, within the walls of the original filming location for Ridling Thorpe Manor, with the cast and crew who brought it to our screens. We are very limited on tickets with this so be sure to purchase them as soon as possible.

This isn't just a weekend for fans, you will become part of a community of people from all round the world who enjoy and are passionate about this timeless show. A friendly community where you will meet like-minded individuals, be made to feel welcome and make friends, all whilst celebrating and paying homage to Granada's Sherlock Holmes and Jeremy Brett. More details on all 3 events can be found further down and will be ticketed separately so be sure to select the tickets for the events you want to attend.

And as with our previous event we are proud to say all profits from this event will be given to Mind UK, in the name of Jeremy Brett!!

To give you an idea of what to expect, check out the panels from our first event in 2024 here.

Friday 18th September 2026 AM & PM – Central Manchester Location Walk

We can’t do a Brettcon weekend without a walking location tour now can we!? Especially when there are so many on our doorstep in central Manchester. We hope to keep this a free event though some areas we are looking at that may well charge an entry fee, for which we will have to add a small fee to the ticket, which will all be communicated as we find out more. This event is for anyone who fancies a saunter around town seeing some recognisable and some maybe not so recognisable locations that were used throughout the series. We are also working on getting exclusive access to a couple of buildings, so this will be a very interesting and fun tour, and one not to miss. Friend of the show, and series royalty, David Eve, will be hosting this tour, and may be joined by a friend or two. So hear first hand from people who were there during the making of the show about these wonderful locations that you see everytime you watch the show.

The meeting place and itinerary will be confirmed nearer the time. Although tickets are free at the moment, please purchase a ticket for the time you would like to be a part of the tour to confirm interest. We may have to limit tickets for this depending on the amount of interest for safety reasons. These tours will require a certain amount of walking, and whilst we will do our utmost to ensure that everyone is included and won't rush people who may struggle, please make sure you are capable of following a group, on foot, around a big city for up to a few hours.

Friday 18th September 2026 - 1700 PM - Dinner on Baker Street

A pilgrimage to the old Granada Studios, and the site of the Baker Street set, both interiors and exterior was a must for this weekend, but we've gone one step further. With help from our friends at the Crystal Maze, we are offering everyone the chance to have dinner on the exact site where the set stood. The events space is in the exact location where the middle of Baker Street was on the lot. Not only that but joining us and fellow Brettons from around the world, will be cast and crew for the show who will be a part of the evening, sitting with you on your table, sharing their memories and answering all your questions. Some of our guests will even guide you on a tour of the area to give you an idea of what the Baker Street set would have looked like at the time, its positioning and all the little nooks and crannies of it. There is even some of the original infrastructure there. We hope to have access to the Bonded Warehouse as well, to show you where the interiors would have been. Plus, we have many more plans and surprises up our sleeve for the evening.

Venue: The Crystal Maze, St Johns, Lower Byrom St, Manchester M3 4FP

We will announce all special guests as they are confirmed. Please note that all guests attending our event are subject to their working commitments and health, and because of this, guests may cancel their appearance.

How to get there:

The Crystal Maze Live Experience is located in Manchester City Centre, and it's easy to get to by bus, tram, train, bike or car.

To arrive by MetroLink (Greater Manchester Tram Network), the nearest Metrolink stop is Deansgate–Castlefield, which is serviced by all trams except for the Bury to Piccadilly line. Deansgate–Castlefield tram stop is 10 minutes' walk away.

Saturday 19th September 2026 - Brettcon 2: The Return

The return of Brettcon means one thing for sure, a very special day-long event celebrating this wonderful series, through original and replica prop displays, cast and crew Q&A panels, meet & greets, exclusive merchandise, photo sessions, raffles and a special screening of a beloved episode to be confirmed. All to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Return series. This isn't just a celebration of The Return series though, it is a celebration of the entire show, every episode, so you can expect guests from the entire run and panels that talk about every aspect of the show. We also have a few surprises up our sleeve as well, which you will have to be there to see - all will be revealed on the day and you won't be disappointed. This year’s event is being held at the sublime Dancehouse Theatre in central Manchester. The Dancehouse was originally a 1930's cinema with a vintage and atmospheric theatre and stage, with many original features still in place. A fitting venue for such a celebration we feel. We will be taking over the entire building for the event so you can expect lots to see and do on the day.

Venue: The Dancehouse, 10A Oxford Rd, Manchester, M1 5QA

We will announce all special guests as they are confirmed, as well as updating everyone on the Q&A Panels and meet and greet opportunities including some special photo ops, which will be put on sale when confirmed. Please note that all guests attending our event are subject to their working commitments and health, and because of this, guests may cancel their appearance.

Guests Announced so far:

Kiran Shah - Tonga in The Sign of Four

Michael Siberry - Woodley in The Solitary Cyclist

Oliver Tobias - Captain Croker in The Abbey Grange

Anne-Louise Lambert - Lady Mary Brackenstall in The Abbey Grange

David Carson - Director of The Blue Carbuncle, The Six Napoleons, The Musgrave Ritual and The Resident Patient

Esther Dean - Costume Designer on 24 episodes

David Eve - Boom Operator on over 20 episodes throughout the series

And many more to be announced....

How to get there:

Car: Please note there is NO parking available on-site at The Dancehouse. Next door to the loading access road is NCP Manchester Chester Street which is open 24hrs a day. The Dancehouse do not offer any discounted parking or manage this resource in any way. As of October 2025, these are the prices:

1 hour £4.00

1 to 2 hours £8.00

2 to 3 hours £12.00

3 to 4 hours £16.00

4 to 24 hours £20.00

Early bird entry by 0900 £11.00

Bus: Situated on Oxford Road, directly outside are various bus routes stop/pick up arriving and departing from both directions. Bus No’s: 15, 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 42C, 43, 50, 51, 85, 85A, 86, 87, 111, 142, 143, 191, 197, 250, 253, 263, 797, V1, V2, V4 (Correct as of 1st Oct 25) - Oxford Road / Chester Road (Stop C)

Train: Our nearest train station is Oxford Rd situated a 2 minute walk away or Piccadilly Station with a 15 minute walk.

The Dance House Theatre is very central, surrounded by hotels from good quality budget hotels to 5*. The city also has a great transport network of Trams, that connect to rail stations and the airport. You can fly into Manchester from most major cities in the world and Piccadilly Station has a direct fast train service to London Euston. The City offers hundreds of restaurants, major galleries and museums and some of the best theatres outside of London. Manchester is around an hour’s drive from Liverpool, the Roman City of Chester, and the Lake District, so a perfect base for enjoying the landscapes and cities of Northern England.

Sunday 20th September 2026 - 0900-1830 - The Dancing Men Reunion @ Leighton Hall (aka Ridlingthorpe Manor) - Tickets Strictly Limited

To conclude the weekend, we will present a reunion of cast and crew from The Dancing Men at the location it was filmed, the wonderful Leighton Hall. Having been to Leighton Hall ourselves, we can attest to the fact that it has remained pretty much unchanged for the last 42 years ago when Granada rocked up for 4 weeks to film one of the best episodes of the entire series. Leaving Manchester in the morning, guests can expect to spend several hours at “Ridling Thorpe Manor,” opportunities will include being able to wander around the grounds; get a special "Dancing Men" guided tour from Suzie Reynolds, owner of Leighton Hall; photos, autographs and mingling with cast & crew from the episode; a special group photo with the reunited cast & crew; a Q&A panel with the guests and a very special screening of the episode inside Leighton Hall (with tea and biscuits of course). We will also be laying on a coach there and back for ticket holders and guests so transport is provided (details below). There will be a coach for those wanting to go in the morning, and one for the afternoon. Please do let us know if you have mobility issues and we will do our best to assist you. Please note: any activities outside (i.e. access to the gardens during walkabouts and the tour) are subject to the weather on the day - appropriate clothing and footwear is essential.

*** Tickets are extremely limited for this event due to the capacity of Leighton Hall, so we suggest booking as early as possible. It is extremely unlikely we will provide more tickets should this sell out. ***

Venue: Leighton Hall, Storrs Lane, Carnforth, LA5 9ST

We will announce all special guests as they are confirmed, as well as confirming a special group photo that attendees can take part in, if they wish to do so. Pease note that all guests attending our event are subject to their working commitments and health, and because of this, guests can cancel their appearance.

Guests Announced so far:

Suzie Reynolds - Owner and Proprietor of Leighton Hall. Suzie negotiated the contract with Granada to film at Leighton Hall, as well as being on set for the whole 2 weeks of filming. We thank Suzie for hosting us for this event.

Betsy Brantley - Elsie Cubitt

David Eve - Boom Operator

And many more to be announced....

How to get here:

A coach will be laid on for all ticket holders, details to be confirmed nearer the time. However, should you wish to make your own way, please see below:

By Car: Whether you are coming from the North or South – leave the M6 at Junction 35. 10 minutes’ drive from the M6 junction 35. Travel North on the A6. Do not use Satnav as this displays the incorrect route. Please follow the brown tourism signs from the A6 and use the Dykes Lane route.

By Train: The nearest railway station is at Carnforth. A taxi will be necessary for the 5 minute journey to Leighton.

All questions can be directed to contact@sherlockpodcast.com. Please follow our social media for all the latest updates on the event.

All information on the Podcast and what we are about can be found here: sherlockpodcast.com

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/sherlockpodcast

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/sherlockpod

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SherlockPod

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/sherlockpod/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@sherlockpodcast/

Terms and conditions:

** An exclusive presale will be given to our Patreon followers before tickets are put on general release, this includes any future tickets that may be put on sale. If you wish to be part of that, then join our Patreon at the link above.

** Tickets purchased are for entry to each individual event only. This does not include accommodation, transportation costs, drink or food unless otherwise stated.

** VIP tickets will include the following: urserved priority seating (first few rows) to all Q&A panels, unreserved priority seating to the screening behind all invited guests, free merchandise and 3 vouchers towards a photo or autograph of your choice from an individual guest at the Saturday event.

** Tickets are non-refundable except in the case that the event is cancelled completely.

** Some speakers may charge additional fees for autographs or photos (not included with admission).

** The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast accepts no responsibility for any injuries sustained whilst at the event. We will do our best to accommodate anyone with mobility issues across all the events.

** Any person or persons causing trouble or being abusive to guests or other attendees will be asked to leave any and all of the events.

** Tickets cannot be exchanged or re-sold.

** This is a not-for-profit fan event and is not affiliated with Granada Television or ITV PLC.

**Photos by Jon Underhill and Luke Holwerda