How do you juggle a leggy redhead and a Russian blonde? It’s elementary!
YOU do not have to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that Benedict Cumberbatch is clearly in demand. And not just as an actor.
For, just days apart, he has been seen enjoying the company of two glamorous women.
And while one, a blonde Russian model, has been a friend for about a year, the willowy redhead he was escorting on Saturday night is something of a mystery.
The 37-year-old Sherlock star was seen emerging from a London nightclub with the woman, who was wearing strappy stilettos and a little black dress, with vampish red varnish on her fingers and toes.
Cumberbatch, in contrast to the glamour of his companion, was dressed in trainers, faded jeans, a white T-shirt and a flat cap.
The pair strolled hand-in-hand after emerging from Cirque Le Soir before jumping into a black taxi and disappearing into the night.
It is understood the actor – who has also starred in War Horse and Star Trek Into Darkness as well as the TV drama Parade’s End – was enjoying a belated birthday celebration. He was treated to his own VIP table at Cirque Le Soir, which features topless burlesque dancers and dancing dogs.
Guests at the club say he was joined by actor Stephen Fry and the group were spotted with giant bottles of vodka and champagne bottles fizzing with sparklers.
‘You’d have to be a smart cookie’
Earlier in the evening, Fry tweeted that they had enjoyed the ‘brilliance’ of a performance by classical pianist James Rhodes – who was at Harrow, an independent English boys’ school, with Cumberbatch.
The previous weekend, Cumberbatch was seen lounging by a pool in Ibiza fondly embracing blonde Katia Elizarova, 26.
The bikini- clad former ballerina seemed close to the actor and they were seen sharing a kiss during their stay on the Spanish island, where Cumberbatch officiated at two friends’ civil partnership.
Joking about his wedding gig, cumberbatch said: ‘Of course I’m going to make a joke after it if it goes well“I do weddings. Next will be children’s parties and bar mitzvahs.”
Ms Elizarova, a 5ft 9in model who describes herself on Twitter as ‘long legs, blonde hair’ and ‘I love kittens’, was first seen with Cumberbatch in September last year.
Unlike the perpetual bachelor Holmes, Cumberbatch has been linked to several women since the end of his relationship with actress Olivia Poulet in March 2011.
He was with Ms Poulet, whom he met while studying at the University of Manchester, for 12 years.
Cumberbatch then dated fashion designer Anna Jones until January last year.
He has been linked to a number of women, including actress Liv Tyler, Star Trek co-star Alice Eve, furniture designer Anna James and heir- ess Lydia Hearst. His sister Tracy Peacock has said: ‘One of his regrets is that he hasn’t found someone to settle down with.
‘You would have to be a pretty smart cookie to keep up with him. I think that is possibly why he has trouble with girlfriends.’
While Cumberbatch’s personal life may not be settled, his acting career has gone from strength to strength. After several TV and theatre roles, he appeared in the 2007 film Atonement. As well as his role as Holmes in the hit BBC1 series Sherlock, he played the lead in another BBC drama, Parade’s End – as a man torn between his marriage to a redhead and his love for a blonde. While officiating in Ibiza for his friends’ wedding, Cumberbatch learned that he has received an Emmy nomination for his role in Parade’s End.
Two years ago he appeared in an acclaimed stage version of Frankenstein. Cumberbatch recently starred in Steven Spielberg’s movie War Horse, played the superhuman villain Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness and is the voice of dragon Smaug and villain Necromancer in The Hobbit series.
He next plays Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in the forthcoming film The Fifth Estate.
reporter@dailymail.ie