The Avengers: Infinity War actor Benedict Cumberbatch turned into a real life superhero on a city street when he jumped out of a taxi to fend off a mugging attack on a delivery boy.
Benedict Cumberbatch, who also plays the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, jumped to the cyclist's rescue near London's Baker Street. Benedict Cumberbatch said he "had to" intervene, reports telegraph.co.uk.
The attackers fled. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that they received reports of the assault.
Benedict Cumberbatch fended off the perpetrators who allegedly smashed the cyclist over the head with a bottle and then headed off along Marylebone Road towards Baker Street. The victim did not need hospital treatment.
According to witnesses, Benedict Cumberbatch dragged four muggers off the victim, who was in his 20s, after screaming at them to leave him alone.
One of the men had tried to steal the delivery cyclist's bike, but failed to do so.
Responding to reports of his heroics, Benedict Cumberbatch told The Sun newspaper: "I did it out of, well, I had to, you know..."
The Uber taxi driver, Manuel Dias, who was driving Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife, Sophie Hunter, said the cyclist was lucky, and described Benedict Cumberbatch as a "superhero".
Dias, 53, said he only recognised it was Benedict Cumberbatch when he was out of his car. The driver, who also tried to help the victim, said: "Then it all got a bit surreal."
"Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street. I held off one lad, and Benedict Cumberbatch 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. Benedict Cumberbatch was not injured. Then I think they also recognised it was Benedict Cumberbatch and ran away."
He said the actor embraced the cyclist after the scuffle. No arrests have been made.