Benedict Cumberbatch got into a heated street argument with another cyclist near King’s Cross Station in London after the actor was accused of breaking traffic laws while riding his bike.
The Doctor Strange and Sherlock star was caught on video during the confrontation, which reportedly happened around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday near St Pancras International.
Benedict Cumberbatch Accused Of Breaking Traffic Laws
According to The Sun, an eyewitness claimed Cumberbatch was seen riding a cargo bike at speed in a cycle lane before another cyclist followed him.
The argument broke out shortly after, with the other cyclist accusing Cumberbatch of going through traffic lights and a zebra crossing.
The masked cyclist shouted at Cumberbatch: “You’re deluded. You’re lying. I was behind you the entire time.”
Cumberbatch responded: “Dude, you verbally abused me.”
The other cyclist then mocked the claim, saying: “Oh no, I verbally abused the guy who completely repeatedly broke the law.”
Cumberbatch appeared to respond, “I did it once,” according to the report.
Cyclist Claims Cumberbatch Went Through Three Lights
The other cyclist continued to press Cumberbatch during the confrontation.
He said: “And then you went through a zebra crossing, you went through three lights.”
Cumberbatch denied the claim, saying: “No, I did not.”
The argument reportedly lasted around ten minutes, with shocked bystanders stopping to watch the exchange unfold in the street.
Eyewitness Says It Felt Like A ‘Pompous Road Rage’ Incident
A passerby who filmed the incident told The Sun the whole thing felt surreal.
“It was crazy. It was such a pompous road rage it almost felt like it had been staged,” the eyewitness said.
The witness added that Cumberbatch “still managed to charm everyone watching even though he was having a meltdown,” and said the two cyclists went back and forth several times.
The eyewitness also claimed the masked cyclist seemed like “some kind of vigilante” and appeared surprised when he realized the person he had confronted was Benedict Cumberbatch, but then doubled down with his rage.
Cumberbatch Posed With Fans After The Argument
Despite the heated exchange, Cumberbatch reportedly posed for photos with fans after the incident.
The witness said school kids nearby recognized him and asked, “Is that Dr Strange?”
Cumberbatch reportedly told them, “Not at the moment, in a minute,” before later taking a selfie with them.
The eyewitness said he did not condone dangerous riding, but felt the masked cyclist following Cumberbatch and escalating the situation was worse.
Cumberbatch Previously Helped Save A Deliveroo Cyclist
The new cycling incident has an ironic connection to another Benedict Cumberbatch story involving a cyclist.
Back in 2018, Cumberbatch was hailed as a real-life hero after he stepped in to help a Deliveroo rider who was being attacked in central London. The incident happened on Marylebone High Street, not far from Baker Street, while Cumberbatch was in an Uber with his wife, Sophie Hunter.
According to reports at the time, the actor jumped out of the vehicle after seeing four men attacking the rider. Witnesses said Cumberbatch shouted at the attackers and helped pull them away from the victim. Deliveroo later thanked Cumberbatch for his “heroic actions,” while Cumberbatch downplayed the praise and said he was “no hero.”
The old story adds another layer to the latest bike-row footage, as Cumberbatch once made headlines for helping a cyclist. Now, years later, he is back in the news because of a heated argument with one.
Benedict Cumberbatch Is No Stranger To Public Attention
Cumberbatch remains best known to comic book movie fans as Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He last appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and also played the character in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Avengers: Endgame.
Marvel has yet to officially announce Doctor Strange 3, but Cumberbatch has been expected to return as Stephen Strange in some capacity as the MCU continues building toward Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
