*Quietly baits rabid Cumberbitch Trap with scarf photos*
Just take this post as evidence of how friggin’ slow it is in Gossip-Land this week as everyone seemingly holds their breath for Duchess Kate to uncross her legs and allow the Princess of Crumpets to slide on out. Gossip-land is dead this week, is what I’m saying. Hopefully it will pick up. For now, I am merely delivering a lukewarm Benedict Cumberbatch story because everybody loves hearing/bitching about The Batch. Apparently, with nothing to really promote and with a minor lull in his non-stop schedule, Cumby has agreed to appear on this weekend’s episode of Top Gear!
Top Gear is set to soar in the ratings next weekend after bosses signed Sherlock hunk Benedict Cumberbatch to guest star.
The actor will take part in the regular feature ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’, and programme chiefs are hoping that his legions of fans – known at Cumberbitches – will tune in and give the series a much-needed boost.
The 20th series launched a week ago on BBC2 with 4.7million viewers – 600,000 down on the previous series debut of 5.3million.
This Sunday’s second instalment, which featured director Ron Howard, also pulled in 4.7million.
The last time Top Gear launched in June was 2011 when it pulled in 5.1million. Cumberbatch has a huge following of fans. When he appeared on Graham Norton in May, one woman admitted that she’d flown all the way from Hong Kong to sit in the audience.
The heart-throb star will join the likes of Joss Stone, Charles Dance and Jimmy Carr in trying to be fastest round the Top Gear track in the new car, a Vauxhall Astra.
One show insider said: “It’s great to have Benedict on the show and no doubt he’ll want to do better than his Star Trek co-star Simon Pegg, who joined us in 2011.”
I watch segments of Top Gear every now and then, and I have to admit that the show sort of annoys me. I get that it’s must-watch-TV in the UK, but I’m not a car person, nor do I enjoy watching Englishmen try to navigate some notoriously awful traffic-heavy cities or barren locales. I did watch the whole episode that Michael Fassbender guested on – Fassy loves cars and he too took this “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” thing (and he did a sit-down interview), and Fassy did quite well on the race track. If I remember correctly, Fassy made a joke about “sweating like a cornered nun.” I’m not sure if Cumby is as car-obsessed as Fassbender, but Cumby is The Voice of Jaguar, so maybe we should hope for more. Whatever. I’ll watch it, but only for Cumby.
Here’s a Jaguar ad featuring Cumby:
And here’s one of Fassbender’s Top Gear segments:
Photos courtesy of WENN and Fame/Flynet.
Appearing on Top Gear in an Astra? Bless him. He’s unleashing his inner middle-aged math teacher again.
And for the record, there is only one Princess of Crumpets and she usually comes bearing crotchshots.
(speaking of crotches, mine appears to be caught in some kind of blue and woolly bear trap. Help please….)
Good morning/ evening!
I immediately thought ‘maths teacher’ too. Shame, as I was more into sciences and humanities. We get Top Gear in Australia. It is incredibly irritating but i’ll make an exception for Cumberbatch.
That one errant curl in that suit pic. Unf….
I have something for the more deviant likely to get caught and arrested Cumber-inclined:
http://static.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/1339567329612_716843.png
Morning Miss Allons-y,
We missed you yesterday!
To be honest, I find Clarkson so repulsive, I’m not even sure that Cumby can induce me to watch it. I think I’ll just wait until I can find the clip online.
And you know Cumby’s a terrible driver who thinks he’s fantastic. I imagine him driving everywhere at 30mph because “you respect a jaguar.” Maybe when he’s feeling dangerous he goes up to 45 on the motorway.
Why all the Clarkson hate? I think he’s kind of hilarious. I’d love for Hems to appear on TopGear – would be very fitting for the RUSH promotion.
Hello T.Fanty! Hope all is well.
I just snuck a peek a yesterday’s post. I’m sorry I missed it. It was impressive. Work is sadly running a muck with my sleeping patterns.
I’ve only ever watched Top Gear once and I hated it. Jeremy Clarkson just screams ‘rat bag’.
45mph you say….*calculates into kilometres* Oh, Benedict. You are a regular rebel without a cause. 🙂
Cumby has stated publicly that he is terrible at Math. I still think that when he puts on the cardigan, he’s a professor of Romantic Poetry.
Let me keep my last illusion!
Romantic Poetry is Hiddles’ domain.
@Anna: every time Hiddledashian talks about poetry, this plays in my mind:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5PnCBVPQV7Q&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5PnCBVPQV7Q
He’s not very good on that topic. His tastes run more to inspirational rather than Romantic.
I think he’s going to be a geek-gone-wild, hurtling round the corners, swearing a lot, and then dying a thousand deaths of apologies and shame during the interview. Which will make me love him.
hahahaha! Yes! Maybe with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips as he drives.
And a neckerchief. Please!
I want to hear his exclaim ‘bollocks!’
The neckerchief might have to be used to tie his driving hat to his head. It can’t be blowing around the inside of an Astra while he is trying to concentrate.
Oh, and please, God, let there be goggles.
Unf. Goggles. Could the car take off, do you think? And we could all sing about flying machines?
I agree he’ll be a “Geek Gone Wild”!
And did someone say goggles? That would be wonderful. All we need now is for him to wear a long, flowing scarf a la Red Baron, goggles, & that alligator/dragon hat he wore at Glastonbury.
I am on the edge of my chair.
He needs to wear brass goggles for this scenario to truly hit the sweet spot. At 45 miles per hour.
Maybe while singing Truly Scrumptious.
*winks at Sixer*
*Shrieks* that would be so nerdy and off the wall… Only he could pull it off
@T.Fanty – scrumptious is good.
Ooh. I feel rather tingly now.
Whhhheeeeeeee!
I cannot stand Jeremy Clarkson. He makes my teeth itch. My sons watch Top Gear incessantly, even previous seasons on crap TV channels. But the celeb segment is funny and I’d watch Cumby for the expressions during the drive – and how sweary he gets – and the piss take interview. So the viewing figures will be +1 at least!
I dislike Jeremy Clarkson but otherwise Top Gear is a really good (if a little gimmivky) show. And the Hamster is adorbs!
l watch the episode but only for the close up camera shot in the car. Without makeup, lighting and the benefit of camera angling, Cumbies fugly will be on full display. Haha.
I don’t watch it obsessively, but when I do, I kinda like Jeremy. You just take him as he is.
I think a little of Jeremy goes a long way, but he can be quite funny. Really glad Top Gear has come back so quickly, they’ve got some good stuff coming up if Clarkson’s twitter is anything to go by. They completely commandeered The Mall with a procession of vehicles a few weeks ago.
I love Hammond to bits too! Take note, Tiny Tom; that’s how you own your height.
I must be the only one here who loves watching Jeremy on this show. I find his to be quite entertaining. And yeah… Hammond… Just want to hug and squeeze and mother him.
ahem.. sorry about that digression.
meh, if he’s on it while I’m passing the channel I may stop to watch otherwise I’ll just keep flipping.
We’ll get the ep on BBCAmerica a week after it airs in the UK (unless one checks youtube first *cough*)… I’m kind of hoping for a sweary and brow-furrowed run for him, and that Clarkson isn’t a *complete* twat for once with his interview questions. And my money is on BC sailing off the track on that last turn…
Yes! Gambon Corner!
Sorry…I love Top Gear. I think it’s the accents.
According to the interwebs, his episode will be on BBCA on July 22. 🙂
So yes this is a good thing. I admit it this is one reality show that I watch with pride! I love those three goofy guys and all the craziness that ensues with them! This is a great show, so turn off the KrapTrashians and join in the fun! Top Gear is a gem of show in a sea of reality trash.
Same here!
And Jeremy can be priceless sometimes 🙂
That shot of his eyes reflecting in the rear-view mirror, sun-lit….it’s magic.
Looking forward to this, although won’t be watching live, I’m off to see Mumford & Sons.
He has motorbikes so Clarkson will rip into him for that but the interviews are usually good if the person being interviewed is, Helen Mirren’s was great as was Simon Pegg and Michael McIntyre to name a tiny few. I read once that there is a massive waiting list for celebrities to get on it.
I’m not an avid viewer but their specials are AMAZING!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Top_Gear_special_episodes
Would recommend them even if you’re not a fan of cars or the show. Their appreciation of the countries and people, especially in the Vietnam one, is lovely.
I hate Top Gear. That show plus all those Gordon Ramsey shows seem to be all they ever show on BBC America. What the hell is up with that?
Benedict is a motorbike lover. Clarkson hates motorbikes so should be fun. Clarkson’s become a very lazy interviewer. Last weeks with Ron Howard was awful. resorting to Happy Days questions was so lame.
I’m more interested in the details of Cumberbatch’s Crimson Peak character. Charlie Hunnam has said Cumberbatch is playing a swashbucking ladies man while Hunnam will play the gentle drippy role. So ca’t wait for kinky Cumberbatch in that film.
@bron,
A swashbuckling Cumby?! Oh my God. Hurry up & make that film, Guillermo del Toro!
This news has made my day. I was kind of hoping Cumby would swashbuckle eventually.
Oh god, the Batch AND Charlie Hunnam in the same movie? Apparently I haven’t been paying attention. Delicious. Too bad Charlie will probably be all clean shaven.
I think I’ve sat through Eddie Izzard’s interview, Patrick Stewart’s, and Ian Mac’s. Other than that, interview time is for me to make food.
Let them do the new Tesla, pleeeeeeeeease. Or the new 50th anniversary Lambo. /super car junkie. Also I need more Hamster in my life. That is all.
I like Top Gear !
I am a huge Capitain Slow fan. I even watch his show on toys.
I too love Captain Slow, hope I catch this show!
You can find something on youtube! he is adorable.
I don’t care one bit about cars but love me some Top Gear! I adore Hammond 🙂 I think the show is funny, beautifully shot, and snarky.
Guys like to go on Top Gear to get the track training from the Stig. The cinematography on the segments is Bond level quality. Just gorgeous. Fans have been nagging for Benedict to go on this show for a few years.
He was out in his Jag a few days ago and people saw him in the street and waved and he waved happily back. A small thing but it made their day and they tweeted about it later.
The insider is a moron since Pegg did his lap on the previous RPC times cannot be compared (and the board was cleared to reflect that). There usually is a degree of jostling among the celebs with ambitions on the board to be invited back when cars change, so chances are they are revitalizing the segment that way.
I know nothing about cars, but I absolutely love Top Gear. And yes, sometimes it’s like watching three overgrown ten year olds, but that’s half the fun.
As hels mentioned above, fans (myself included) have been waiting for this for a while, so I am looking forward to it.
I’ve never hear of Top Gear but I’ll take some Cumby any way you’ll serve it up.
There’s a photo of him in the car knocking around but its too far away to really see. I love that Benedict’s fans are at the track right now. Devoted.
https://twitter.com/cumberbatchfrm/status/354950748787855360/photo/1
That helmet is so white and round, he’s going to look hilarious. No goggles or scarf ladies…boo!
I see goggles! I’m sure the scarf is just tucked in snugly. At the pace he’s going, I’m sure Mama Cumby was a little concerned about the wind making him chilly and forced him to wear one.
He’s gone all Dick Dastardly. Russnfussn.
Somehow, I expected him to be driving some sort of spacecraft.
Ooooh… Can’t wait til Sunday!
Thanks for the alert! 😀
Giddy Up!
j.eyre is so quiet… I wonder what’s happening in the Thornfield…
Oh darling – Cumby on something called Top Gear in a “reasonably priced car”? This one is doing the work for me.
I shall remain in bed and shamelessly pine for my little Bewildered Retriever and NOT take any crap from Fanty for some time.
Now if someone could send a tasty morsel up… and have him bring some coffee, please.
He’s only doing it to see how the common people live. It’s his version of living below the line.
Anyway, your boy only plays a racer. My boy *is* one. He lives life on the edge.
Well, he has yet to prove that, doesn’t he?
At least my boy plays a thrill-seeking, virile, gifted racer of expensive and powerful machines. Your little tussled-haired moppet is puttering around in a Minivan. Honestly, it’s like he’s allergic to being sexy.
And although I appreciate the gallant connotations you attempt to ascribe to this, all I smell is a fish; a Remora to be exact.
.
Who would had thought that calling j.eyre would cause such a commotion?! Those d*mn Cumbercollective (Sorry T.Fanty, you included! lol). I have to agree with j.eyre on this whole take. Her race is better than yours!
And yours is driving below the line to appear hipster to Aniston. Just saying…
Thank you, Agent MOL. At least I can always count on you. As for my race – you have no idea how much better it is. Fortunately for you, it’s me and therefore everyone has a chance to find out *wink*
And for future reference, calling me into anything is generally a mistake. Remember, we might when you pulled my battled and broken body from the Arena during one of my first Hiddles Games.
Squawk! He’s DRIVING below the line. Cumby comes from leftfield, don’t he?
I just continued Fanty’s theme! But I thank you. I shall bask.
Or perhaps, blush rather than bask, since I can’t reply to the right comment. Sigh @ me.
“Driving Below the Line” – Sixer, you’re brilliant. Feel free to use the Sunroom today – I am sure you understand the importance of that invitation, darling.
Hey now! I go away for one knitting lesson (true story) and you offer the sunroom to Sixer?!?! That’s it. I’m going to petco and buying all the squeaky penguin chew toys that they have and strategically placing them around your personal rooms at Thornfield. Let’s see you keep your bewildered retriever’s attention, then.
And Sixer. You can have him now, if you can keep him. Once he hears the dulcet clack of my needles creating more scarves than his little heart could ever dream of, he’ll be zapping over in his helmet and goggles as fast as his little Astra can carry him. If you’re nice, I won’t tell Eve *looks around furtively*
You harridan! You.Wouldn’t.Dare. I have the perfect outfit picked out for his return and it takes me six hours, three footmen and Eve and her shank to get me into it. If you get those absent-minded penguins waddling about, I have no hope of him getting me out of it. Given the edible quality, I might be in a very unfortunate situation with the penguins while he chews on the toys.
Oh darling, let’s not fight. It has been such a horrible week what with TommyannE bringing the new girl around for approval and she wanted to know who lived “upstairs.” No amount of Clairol will take the grey out of her hair.
And then Cumby took so much of my time with the dreadful fashion choices, proving, once again, he really cannot be left off the leash for that long.
And my retriever withdrawal is at a fevered pitch – I need to pet something soon or I… why, I don’t know what I will do!
Sixer is new to Thornfield, I wanted to put on my best face for her. And you just ran by lobbing insults about CHemboy – I fluster so easily. Look, look what is open and just for you – the couch. I had it cleaned and have selected two of your favorite to adorn it. Don’t worry, I took care of fluffing them for you.
Oh, no ladies. I KNOW all y’all are funnier and cleverer than wot I am. I’m quite happy to clean up after the hedgehogs, penguins and assorted shenanagins whilst learning from my betters. Tout c’est bien.
PS: I can crochet up a storm (also true). I can do rugged aran style for the Cumby flightplan AND diaphanous fluttery things for the remaining dragonflies. No probs.
Tea cake, Miss Sixer?
Thankee kindly. Can I offer you some clotted cream fudge?
Hey, missy. I see your game and don’t like it. Why don’t you put your little hazmat suit back on, and go back to examining the new forms of bacteria that Butler creates. Leave my lovely boy alone.
*shedding unicorn tears *
We all have bacteria… they are ubiquitous, didn’t you know?!
My Gerry… Drag into this vile and reptile mess… how cruel!
😛
I’m sorry. All I saw in that sentence was Gerry-bacteria-cruel-vile-mess and just assumed you were talking about your lab work again.
Somewhere, B.Coop is watching this unfold and licking his computer screen. Possibly while continuing to scratch the last part of his anatomy that Gerry touched.
My lab work is fun (most of the time) and I work with yeast… As for the last part of your Cumbercollective delusion… what I was going to say? What I was thinking? What did you say? Yeah, that’s right! I have just ignored! 😛
WHAT has got into y’all? I turned my back for just a few hours, & you’re tearing each other to ribbons?!
I am putting some nice hedgehog sedatives into this pitcher of strawberry lemon tea I just made, & let’s see if everyone can just *calm* the hell down.
It’s very unsettling that while I was hand-reaming dozens of lemons, then smashing the strawberries to a pulp & straining all the little seeds out of them (Miss Eyre complains about the seeds)….you refined ladies are circling one another with buzz saws.
Now…everyone sit the hell down & sip your lemonade, all right? I have to go & turn the strawberry pulp into a lovely facial treatment. Miss M, this would usually be something I might ask your help with, but you have done enough for one afternoon!
*grumpily stares at feet*
She started it.
@Fanty,
Silence in the Library, young lady.
@Miss Eyre,
Did you call my lover a tussle-haired moppet?
Well, that’s just it, EsCon. We were all sitting so nicely in the drawing room, hands gloved in white and folded neatly upon our laps, removing them only to sip our lavender tea and take dainty bites of the delicious biscuits PromisedBeer brought over when things went a bit off kilter. It is a bit confusing as to what happened first, but I believe it had something to do with Crumpets&Crotchshots tossing out a penguin toy and yelling “fetch”. I, of course, thought my CHemboy had returned and knocked Marie right out of her seat to get to him. Of course it wasn’t him and I had accidentally sunk my teeth into ncboudicca again (that woman’s patience is astounding) and Agent MOL went about applying some balm she made out of the hearth’s ashes. That’s when the blue scarf came floating down from the third floor and we really didn’t know to whom it had been tossed. Fanty squealed, which summoned the dragonflies and the hedgehogs thought we were going to war…
If only you had gotten here sooner with the lemonade. Now Eve won’t let us out of the hallway.
p.s. I highly advise NOT going into that Sunroom just yet. The noises emitting from behind that door are not of this world.
Yes, that’s the way I remember leaving you — in a gentle, hazy tableaux of crisp white pintucked cotton & matching crocheted gloves.
I didn’t realize the blue scarf was going to trigger such passionate hostility. When is Mr. Rochester going to fix that damn air conditioning? You were all overheated & I also suspect the corsets are pulled too tight for this weather.
I am terribly sorry I did not get to Thornfield with the lemonade & paper umbrellas in time. The hedgehog sedatives in the pitcher really do wonders for highly-strung hedgehogs as well as ladies who have gone too long without their *ahem* Hems.
Also, Jane, could you please stop biting Boudicca? I think we all tend to forget that she is the Warrior Queen of the Iceni, & anytime she gets bored kicking the ass of the Roman Legion, she can thunder over to Thornfield in her chariot & make mince pie out of all of us.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I must tend to some drunken hedgehogs.
@EsCon: All right, I will help you with the facial treatment next time.
@j.eyre; anytime! Just say DG (Dragonfly Goddess) and I shall join you during the Hiddles game.
@T.Fanty: please, keep staring at your feet. I may give you a new hedgehog for good behavior, 🙂
Haha! He’ll be posting earnest videos every 5 minutes on twitter saying how hard it is while pouting and looking sad.
“Seeing how the other half drive has opened my eyes. Please…give £3 a month to help people drive better cars”
And then when the week is up, prance over to his Beamer and floor it.
This makes my day. I freaking LOVE Top Gear, James May, and yes, even Clarkson from time to time. Usually I skip over the celebrity guests but I will be glued to this one. There should be a Sherlock Car Challenge of some sort, but I can’t think of anything clever right now for what that might entail.
Early Twitter Feedback on Cumberbatch’s interview
Very funny interview with Jeremy Clarkson and Benedict Cumberbatch. Not sure how much they can actually show pre-watershed! #topgear
it was a great outfit… He looked especially good in the helmet I must say. It enhanced the cheekbones 10 fold
I sincerely hope #benedictcumberbatch’s reichenbach theory is the one… It involves a helicopter and mycroft in a skirt… #topgear
Had the best day at #topgear – benedict cumberbatch interview is amazing OMG <3
no no he just struggled to fit it (his name) on the lap time card… Lots of great stuff – not sure how much of it they can actually USE 😛
it's sooooo good! All the top gear stuff is amazing and then… Benedict… Wow oh wow.
I love Top Gear! And my 17 yo daughter is fanatical about it. It’s hilarious.
I’ll leave this here:
http://cumberbatchweb.tumblr.com/post/54549665804/benedict-cumberbatch-in-the-observer-in-2011-open#notes
He’s in leather. (#3 is my fave).
Welp… back to work.
Damn you, woman. Secretly-gay-WWII-bomber-pilot-Batch is not a good look for him. Don’t tease me then take it away.
P.S. did they photoshop his chest hair on, or did he wax for the Star Trek shower of evil? I would volunteer for either job, actually.
Miss Fanty,
It’s the little clump of hair that does for me. Not too much, not too little. It’s the Goldilocks of chest hair: Just right.
I now adore the Golilocks of chest hair.
Somewhere in London, TommyAnne is weeping and shaking his fist at his laptop, screaming “why can’t they love me like that?!?! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?”
I always wondered if anyone had seen those Cumby bomber jacket chest fluff pics! They’re so odd. Looks like he was trying to pose sex-ay & he looks so uncomfortable. I think that’s his chest hair & he waxed for his sojourn in LA. (I like him waxed.)
Sometimes, when he falls asleep, I creep up with my home-waxing kit & rip the ginger fluff from his chest before he has a chance to scream.
I always like to give him the chance to scream.
Hahahaha!
ThankyouverymuchI’llbehereallweekdon’tforgettotipyourwaitress.
The man can be sexy, that’s for sure. He doesn’t need to try. But that open bomber jacket/chest hair photo isn’t it.
Since Hiddles also has a Goldilocks of chest hair he probably IS weeping and storming. After all, he did some special Coriolanus pics for youse, just so that you could post such things about HIM. He was even CRYING in them. Lawksamercy. It’s all so unfair.
Sixer,
Yes! saw those pics. Aren’t they the promo stuff for the Donmar production? He looks great. Though he is chest hair lite, you can count them all. Clean shaven suits The Hids very well. While some have a forest, Batch has a meadow, and Hiddles is what, a marsh? Or a couple of cacti? Help me out.
CORIOLANUS DOES NOT CRY.
He actually makes someone stab him because they call him a “boy of tears” and he flips out.
CORIOLANUS DOES NOT CRY. The fact that he’s a frikking robot is kind of the point of the play. Just in case you didn’t get it, CORIOLANUS DOES NOT CRY.
Dammit.
I miss Toby Stephens.
So… does Coriolanus cry?
I just need you to be more specific. 🙂
flrghfllllrughttosfppppfhfffhh.
*head explodes in fury*
But but but, Fanty – I bet he gets his keks off in the marketplace. I’d put my retirement fund on it!
Not to mention frantically ringing the bbc, tweeting Clarkson and campaigning to get himself to the top of the queue. He’s probably wetting himself at the thoughts of going on Graham Norton when Thor 2 comes out so he can do some impressions and be all bashful and coy for his fans.
That really does sum up Hiddles.
The fascination for Hiddles is undeniable.
Even in the Lizard King thread, people talk about him…ha!
I admit it, Miss M. For me, it goes pash, then schadenfreude, THEN indifference. Give me time. 🙂
This man needs to be in a lot more films and I can’t wait to see each and every one of them. He sexy and not in that Americanized pretty boy way but that alluring cool sophisticated aura.
Well in the hiddleston post Cumberbatch name comes up alot to soooooo….yeah the fascination is on both ends.