Baby Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch And Fiancé Expecting Their First Child

Jan 8, 2015

Congratulations are in order, once again, as Benedict Cumberbatch and his fiancée Sophie Hunter confirm that they are expecting their first child! The news comes just two months after announcing their engagement.

The 38-year-old famed actor and the 36-year-old Oxford-educated theatre director are allegedly really looking forward to becoming parents for the first time, according to Benedict’s spokesperson: “I am delighted to confirm that Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter are expecting their first child. They are both over the moon.”

One source revealed that “Sophie is a few months along, and both she and Benedict are very excited about it.

They are also quietly planning to marry in early spring.” A spring wedding – how lovely, and a bit sooner than previously planned.

The British heartthrob said a while ago that he’s not in a hurry to get married: “One thing at a time. I’m playing Sherlock now – just about to start – so my main focus is going to be on that.”

But marriage has always been a very important to the actor, a fact that he himself confirmed last year: “It’s a wonderful thing to get married young and become a father. I used to think that I’d get married by my mid-thirties and have children. But now I think I can wait. I’m no longer in a hurry to get married.”

Looks like the baby has plans of its own!

The Star Trek star has always been rather quiet when it comes to his love life. Alas, he chose to announce his engagement to Sophie with a £324 advertisement in The Times newspaper, which read “Mr. BT. Cumberbatch and Miss S.I. Hunter: The engagement is announced between Benedict, son of Wanda and Timothy Cumberbatch of London, and Sophie, daughter of Katharine Hunter of Edinburgh and Charles Hunter of London.”

Traditional as he is, The Hobbit’s Smaug himself flew to Edinburgh to ask her mother’s permission for her daughter’s hand in marriage before getting down on one knee.

Benedict and Sophie had gone to great lengths to avoid being seen together in public since they first met in 2009 while starring opposite each other in Burlesque Fairytales. They were first seen publicly together this June at the French Open.

But since becoming engaged, the pair has walked down the red carpet together at events such as The London Evening Standard awards and The Imitation Game premiere.

Sophie was also Benedict’s date at the wedding of the actor’s old school pal, James Rhodes, but it is believed she has wanted to remain anonymous since the beginning of their relationship.

Cumberbatch previously spent ten years with The Thick Of It star Olivia Poulet, who met while studying at Manchester University, and ever since he has linked with several high-profile women, including Alice Eve and Liv Tyler. More recently, Cumberbatch has dated furniture designer Anna Jones, before rekindling an old friendship with Russian model and actress Katia Elizarova.