Benedict Cumberbatch Defends Attack On Politicians

Benedict Cumberbatch

Star actor Benedict Cumberbatch has defended a speech in which he attacked politicians for their response to the refugee crisis while performing on stage in London.

The 39-year-old star of “Sherlock” and film “The Imitation Game” gave a speech last month criticising the British government for not doing enough to help refugees from Syria following a performance of “Hamlet” in London, in which he played the title role.

As he asked the audience for donations to Save the Children, Cumberbatch was reported to have said “f*** the politicians” before apologising for his language. Ultimately £150,000 was raised for the charity.

As he collected a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in recognition for his works in art and charity, Cumberbatch said he was glad to raise awareness.

“It has been a fantastic response from the public who came to that theatre who raised a hell of a lot of money and awareness,” Cumberbatch said.

“We all felt just powerless and, as a new father, to see the footage and the photos that came to us in the summer, I think every single one of us with a heart realised this wasn’t someone’s else’s problem somewhere else – this was all our problem, a humanitarian problem.

“So I was very happy to step up to the plate and ask a very receptive and very generous audience at the Barbican to help out.”

Wearing a traditional morning suit, Cumberbatch attended the investiture ceremony acompanied by his wife Sophie Hunter, who wore a lilac dress and hat.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.