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'I GOT CARRIED AWAY'

Lefty luvvie Benedict Cumberbatch admits he regrets his ‘F*** the government’ rant about migrant crisis

The actor was criticised when he hit out at politicians over their handling of the situation, but said he was trying to raise awareness of their plight

BENEDICT Cumberbatch lashed out at the government and said "f*** the politicians" in a speech during a performance of Hamlet, but has since said he "got carried away".

He explained he had wanted to "shine a light on an issue" and although he stood by what he did, admitted he "could have done it better".

Benedict Cumberbatch attend the Doctor Strange fan event at the Odeon Leicester Square, last night
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Benedict Cumberbatch attend the Doctor Strange fan event at the Odeon Leicester Square, last nightCredit: Splash News
French anti-riot policemen stand guard a gathering of migrants during the full evacuation of the Calais "Jungle" camp - Cumberbatch has spoken out about the UK government's dealing with migrant children
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French anti-riot policemen stand guard a gathering of migrants during the full evacuation of the Calais "Jungle" camp - Cumberbatch has spoken out about the UK government's dealing with migrant childrenCredit: Getty Images
Cumberbatch and wife Sophie Hunter attending the Dr. Strange UK Launch
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Cumberbatch and wife Sophie Hunter attending the Dr. Strange UK LaunchCredit: PA:Press Association Wire

His comments came as he walked the red carpet for the screening of his latest film Doctor Strange.

The 40-year-old actor had previously surprised people who had come to watch him in the Shakespearean classic when he criticised the way politicians had handled the UK taking in unaccompanied minors.

In October last year the Sherlock star read out a poem called Home by a Somali writer and begged the audience to leave money in buckets at the Barbican Theatre in London on Tuesday.

Minors waiting for registration amid the evacuation of the camp which will be dismantled this week
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Minors waiting for registration amid the evacuation of the camp which will be dismantled this weekCredit: Reuters
Lines of police flank the groups of migrants gathering to be registered as the Calais camp is demolished today
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Lines of police flank the groups of migrants gathering to be registered as the Calais camp is demolished todayCredit: Getty Images

One audience member said: “He began by reading out a poem and then spoke about a friend who had come back from the island of Lesbos, where there were 5,000 people arriving a day, and how the Government was letting just 20,000 in over five years.”

Speaking to the  last night during the screening of his film, he said: "I'm more concerned about the real difficulties that are going on, as I think they are with unaccompanied minors who are facing some pretty horrific scenes by anyone's standards in Calais, and that's where our concerns should be."

He added: "Look, I don't have expert, political knowledge. And I've been slammed for speaking up because of that and I completely appreciate that criticism because that's not my role in life.

"What I was simply doing was raising money for a charity that knows what to do and trying to shine a light on the professionals and the experts, and also those in need who those professionals and experts help."

Earlier in the day he had defended what he said when appearing on LBC, he told host Shelagh Fogarty he stood by what he said, but perhaps could have done it better.

He said: "I was trying to shine a light on an issue that was at certain times being overlooked. I fully stand by what I did, but maybe I could have done it better."

Migrants walk on a road during the full evacuation of the Calais "Jungle" camp
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Migrants walk on a road during the full evacuation of the Calais "Jungle" campCredit: Getty Images
He surprised people when he launched into a speech criticising the government during a performance of Hamlet
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He surprised people when he launched into a speech criticising the government during a performance of HamletCredit: Splash News

He explained that as a dad, and as someone with "a social conscience" the thought of the children feeling from war torn countries and "slipping through the net" left his emotions running high.

He is a father-of-one with wife Sophie Hunter, and reportedly expecting baby number two.

Lily Allen was criticised this month for apologising "on behalf of the UK" to an Afghan teenager living in the Calais jungle.

In a process that began yesterday, the temporary camp near the port in Calais is being shut down.

The town, dubbed the Calais Jungle, became a hotspot for people fleeing war torn countries in the hope of getting to Britain and claiming asylum.

French authorities have begun the process of clearing the area by bussing thousands of migrants across France in a week-long operation.

Riot police clashed with groups of migrants as the camp began to be dismantled yesterday.


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