THE STORY SO FAR: Benedict Cumberbatch

The star of Sherlock (9pm, BBC1) is one of our most versatile actors, with both classic theatre and superhero roles under his belt. Here’s a quick rundown of his career so far…

Early days The son of actors Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton, Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch was born in west London, in 1976.

All the world’s a stage After leaving drama school with an MA in classical acting, Benedict went on to star in numerous stage productions; in 2011, he received widespread acclaim – and a coveted Olivier Award a year later – for his performance in Frankenstein at the National Theatre. In 2015, he returned to the stage as Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Small screen, big star Early TV roles in Heartbeat, Spooks and Silent Witness soon led to him taking the lead in the BBC’s 2004 Stephen Hawking biopic, Hawking, for which he earned a Bafta nomination. In 2010, the first series of Sherlock made the world sit up and take notice; bigger roles soon followed,

including Stuart: A Life Backwards (2007), Parade’s End (2012) and the lead

in The Hollow Crown: Richard III (2016). Box-office gold His roles in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), Star Trek Into Darkness, 12 Years A Slave and

The Fifth Estate (all 2013) saw Benedict becoming hot Hollywood property. In 2014, The Imitation Game sealed his status as an international star, while Doctor

Strange (2016) confirmed his versatility and across-the-board appeal. Now aged 40, he’s in the process of filming The Current War, in which he plays inventor Thomas Edison.