What is the name of Sherlock Holmes’s older brother in the BBC series Sherlock?

In the BBC television series Sherlock, Sherlock’s older brother is Mycroft Holmes.

Mycroft is played by Mark Gatiss, who also co-created the series with Steven Moffat. The programme modernises Doyle’s characters while retaining Mycroft’s defining traits: immense intelligence, political influence, and a strong preference for avoiding physical exertion.

The series presents Mycroft as a senior British government figure whose reach extends into national security. His relationship with Sherlock is competitive, protective, and often sarcastic. He frequently understands Sherlock’s behaviour better than other characters do, even when the brothers disagree.

The character’s name can be confused with other BBC-series officials, particularly Greg Lestrade, who is a police detective rather than a member of the Holmes family. Mycroft’s role varies across adaptations, but his identity as Sherlock’s brother remains central.