Benedict Cumberbatch reportedly saved a cyclist who was being attacked by a group of four people in London.
According to The Sun, the “Doctor Strange” and “Sherlock Holmes” actor jumped out of his Uber on Marylebone High Street in central London when he saw a food delivery cyclist for Deliveroo being hit over the head with a bottle.
Witnesses say Cumberbatch sprinted to the scene yelling, “leave him alone.” He reportedly dragged the four muggers off the victim, at which point the attackers tried to punch Cumberbatch. He was able to fend them off, and they fled.
The Uber driver, Manuel Dias, told The Sun: “The cyclist was lucky, Benedict’s a superhero.”
He explained: “I was taking Benedict and his wife to a club — but I didn’t know it was him at first. I went to turn down into Marylebone High Street and we saw four guys were pushing around a Deliveroo cyclist. My passenger jumped out, ran over and pulled the men away. They turned towards him and things looked like getting worse, so I joined in.It was only then I recognized Benedict. Then it all got a bit surreal. Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street.”
Dias added, “I had hold of one lad and Benedict another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest. They tried to hit him but he defended himself and pushed them away. He wasn’t injured. Then I think they also recognied it was Benedict and ran away.”
According to Dias, Cumberbatch asked the cyclist how he was feeling, and when he said, “I’m OK,” Cumberbatch hugged him.
“Benedict was courageous, brave and selfless,” added Dias. “If he hadn’t stepped in, the cyclist could have been seriously injured.”
“I did it out of, well, I had to, you know…,” Cumberbatch told the outlet.
Deliveroo gave a statement to The Sun, saying, “We’d like to thank Benedict Cumberbatch for his heroic actions. On behalf of everyone at Deliveroo: thank you so much.”
Law enforcement officials confirmed to the outlet that they were called to an assault on a delivery rider on Friday night. A spokesperson for Cumberbatch has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.