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‘Sherlock’ star Benedict Cumberbatch caught in heated street clash with cyclist in London
Actor was accused of running red lights during a tense exchange that reportedly lasted several minutes
- PUBLISHED: Tue 12 May 2026, 12:03 PM
Hollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch was caught in a heated verbal exchange with a cyclist in London after being accused of cycling through a red light.
According to reports by the Daily Mirror, the incident took place earlier last week in the evening and reportedly lasted around 10 minutes.
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The 49-year-old actor, best known for playing Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock, was allegedly seen riding through a red light in a cycle lane before another cyclist confronted him.
Witnesses claimed the cyclist told the actor, “I knew you were going to do that,” before accusing him of repeatedly breaking traffic rules.
A video circulating online appears to show Cumberbatch leaving his bike and approaching the cyclist across the road during the confrontation.
The cyclist allegedly told the actor: “You’re deluded, you’re lying. I was behind you the entire time.”
Cumberbatch reportedly responded: “Dude, you verbally abused me.”
The exchange escalated further when the cyclist sarcastically replied: “Oh no, I verbally abused the guy who completely repeatedly broke the law.”
According to witnesses, the actor later admitted to one mistake, allegedly saying: “I did it once.”
The cyclist then accused him of going through multiple lights and a zebra crossing, claims the actor denied.
One onlooker described the incident as “crazy” and “almost staged,” adding that the pair blocked part of the lane as passersby watched.
The confrontation reportedly ended when the cyclist rode away, while Cumberbatch stayed behind and posed for selfies with fans nearby.
Waad Barakat is a Special Correspondent covering security topics, from law enforcement to local courts. With a keen eye for human interest stories, she hopes to blend it all with unique Gen Z-inspired content.