Benedict Cumberbatch defends his ‘f— the politicians’ rant

After Benedict Cumberbatch indulged in a foul-mouthed rant about the government’s response to the refugee crisis, he was criticised by several figures — including Boris Johnson — for using the theatre as a platform for his political views. In fact, the incident even left Mr S asking: is Benedict Cumberbatch the new Russell Brand?

Judging by comments he made today after collecting his CBE, the actor could well succeed the retired-revolutionary. When reporters outside the palace put to the Sherlock actor that he may regret his comments — which included the line ‘f— the politicians’, Cumberbatch said actually it was quite the contrary:

‘Have you been to the theatre recently? How many times? Have you never been in an audience where someone’s raised awareness for the Terence Higgins Trust for Aids or for cancer awareness or for any particular cause? It’s not an abnormal activity for someone to appeal at the end of a night’s performance for something that is affecting our world, and the actual community of people that have just made the show.’

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What’s more, Cumberbatch says that he has no plans to limit his political activism, and instead plans to keep using his celebrity ‘potency’ to do ‘good’ for other people:

‘If I’m in the public eye because of my work and I get scrutinised in my private life because of that, then I cam damn well make sure I use that potency to do good for other people.’