Benedict Cumberbatch Takes A Break From Sherlock Filming With Co-StarsThe actor was spotted enojying some coffee (E.) BY DEEPIKA RAJANI ON APRIL 25, 2013

Benedict enjoys a coffee break (Twitter / @SpeedysCafe)

Benedict Cumberbatch is a hard working actor, but every hard working actor needs a break and that's exactly what he did when he was spotted taking a break in a coffee shop.

In a picture posted on Twitter by the sandwich and coffee shop Benedict was spotted in, the actor appeared in good spirits as he sipped on his coffee, and pointed to his co-star Amanda Abbingrton.

Having posted the picture, the caption to the picture read: "Breakfast time with #Benedictcumberbatch #Sherlock #nobreakforme #fryuptime."


As the cast reunite to film scenes, Benedict , who plays the role of the iconic detective, recently suggested that series three of Sherlock won't be returning to our screens until Christmas.

He told the Radio Times recently: “I think they’re talking about the winter (to show it). Around Christmas but I’m not quite sure when."

READ MORE: http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/112779/PHOTO-Benedict-Cumberbatch-Takes-A-Break-From-Sherlock-Filming-With-Co-Stars

Benedict Cumberbatch: Sherlock series 3 could air at Christmas says Benedict Cumberbatch (RADIO TIMES)

Could fans be treated to a modern-day take on seasonal adventure The Blue Carbuncle? asks Paul Jones

Paul Jones
12:54 PM, 13 March 2013

Sherlock fans already think all their Christmases have come at once, following the news yesterday that Benedict Cumberbatch and his co-star Martin Freeman have signed up for a fourth series of the detective drama. But another revelation from Cumberbatch could make the festive season even more exciting...

Cumberbatch says series three, which starts filming next week, could hit screens at Christmas.

"I think they're talking about the winter [to show it]. Around Christmas but I'm not quite sure when," Cumberbatch told RadioTimes.com.

If he's right, the timing could raise some interesting questions about the content of those upcoming episodes...

For many Sherlock Holmes fans, the combination of Christmas and the great detective immediately brings to mind classic Arthur Conan Doyle short story The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.

With its snowy London setting, the tale of a stolen gemstone and a Christmas goose is about as festive as it gets, but also includes some of the most satisfying examples of Holmes's deductive reasoning, and some intriguing insights into his personality.

READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-03-13/sherlock-series-3-could-air-at-christmas-says-benedict-cumberbatch

Dan Stevens' eye-popping take on his first week of "US holiday festivities Thanksgiving parades, "Black Friday" and letters to Santa" (TELEGRAPH)

By Dan Stevens
6:00AM GMT 02 Dec 2012

"The Holidays” are here again, kicked off in America in spectacular style by the celebration of Thanksgiving. Unsurprisingly, this is heralded here in the most epic, all-American way in the shape of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Lined by three million people, a two-and-a-half mile route through midtown Manhattan sees floats of every shape and size boasting Broadway shows and brass marching bands, punctuated by prodigious pneumatic manifestations of the household brands and characters that have fed the minds and stomachs of this nation’s children (and many of its adults) over the decades. Towering Smurfs are flanked by a gargantuan Pillsbury Doughboy, a titanic jug of Kool-Aid and a monumental Ronald McDonald, looming down on the crowds with a terrifyingly reassuring “thumbs up”. These are also brands that have fed the nation’s economy – indeed the giving of thanks for the “harvest” has increasingly metaphorical, commercial connotations. One can’t help but appreciate the metaphor as these giant symbols pass by; dominating view yet all hot air, kept in place only by a network of ropes held by a large, exhausted workforce.

Thanksgiving is closely followed by a grotesque, modern iteration of a “festival”. For the past decade “Black Friday” has marked the start of the Christmas shopping season, with stores opening especially early with supposedly massive (illusory) discounts to lure the hordes, with aggressive queues forming almost before Thursday’s turkey has even been battered. Two people were shot in Florida in a fight over a parking space and a friend told me, with curious pride, that in New Jersey his mother “had to punch two people to defend her shopping cart”.

(Blog owner Karen's personal observation:  No offense to Dan Stevens, but, to be fair, two people are always shot in Florida over a parking space.  We Floridians certainly don't need 'Black Friday' for that.  sheesh.  Damn, Bubba, someone just shot me in the foot.)

READ MORE:

Benedict Cumberbatch narrates The Snowman sequel (RADIO TIMES)

Tom Cole
2:30 PM, 19 November 2012
Benedict Cumberbatch has narrated an audio version of a sequel to Raymond Briggs' The Snowman.

The Sherlock star’s dulcet tones will enrich the audio e-book adaptation of The Snowman and the Snowdog written and directed by Hilary Audus, a TV follow-up to the Oscar-nominated 1982 short animated film The Snowman.

Snowdog, described by Briggs as “absolutely super”, will be screened by Channel 4 on Christmas Eve, and the audio e-book will be released for Apple, Nook and Kindle devices on Saturday 29 December.

But whereas the film will be wordless, like the original Snowman, publisher Puffin and Snowdog’s makers Lupus Films have crafted some unique narration for the e-book, which will be brought to life by Cumberbatch.  An audio book version of Briggs' original story was narrated by Andrew Sachs.

Talking about the project, the 36-year-old actor said: “The magic of The Snowman is universal for every generation; as is the thrill of a first encounter with snow.

“And in this new story, to bring the Snowdog to life for new young readers was a joy. I hope it will become as much of a Christmas tradition as the beautiful original was when I was a boy.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xb-pX7sIjFY

READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-11-19/benedict-cumberbatch-narrates-the-snowman-sequel

How an iPhone Audition Got Benedict Cumberbatch Into the ‘Star Trek’ Sequel By DAVE ITZKOFF (NEW YORK TIMES)

We’ll let Mr. Cumberbatch, who spoke from his temporary home in Venice, Calif., take it from here:

 I got a call before Christmas Eve saying that they’re very interested in you playing the not-so-good guy in the next “Star Trek” film. Can you get yourself on tape?

So I rang some friends of mine – and when I say friends, I mean the top casting directors in England who were all on holiday because we observe this little Judeo-Christian cult holiday called Christmas. Whereas, you know, some kids in this part of town, [circles his hands to indicate Los Angeles] with their Crackberrys, don’t. And the demands were coming in so fast, I was like, This is terrifying.

And by the 27th, people were knocking on the door, literally, and saying I’ve got to put myself on tape. I was down in Gloucestershire with some friends, who turned out to be useless. I won’t mention their names, they’re quite well known friends, a director and a very brilliant actress. Bless them, they were busy with his kid.

I then went down to London and begged my best friend there, Adam Ackland. He’s always been there to put out the fire. And he said, “Let’s do it.” My Flip wasn’t working, I couldn’t get any kind of recording device. I said, I’m going to do it on my iPhone. It’s high quality, it’s HD. It will be fine.


READ THE REST OF THIS GREAT INTERVIEW:http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/how-an-iphone-audition-got-benedict-cumberbatch-into-the-star-trek-sequel/

Colin Firth's Christmas (Inquirer Entertainment)

Currently starring in Tomas Alfredson’s “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

COLIN Firth: Time split between England and Italy. PHOTO BY RUBEN NEPALES

“My wife (Livia Giuggioli) is Italian so we split Christmas time between England and Italy.

There are surprisingly similar traditions. It’s about the tree, stockings, turkey and overwhelming family get-togethers. Italy is exactly the same without the turkey.”

E-mail the columnist at rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/nepalesruben.

 

http://entertainment.inquirer.net/25053/what-hollywood-stars-look-forward-to-this-christmas

 

 

ANOTHER star-studded Spirit of Christmas event is being planned for Chester Cathedral this December.

htar-studded Spirit of Christmas event to take place at Chester Cathedral in December

Oct 7 2011 Chester Chronicle

Actor and TV presenter Matthew Kelly will once again host a spectacular evening.
More than a dozen top names from TV, stage and screen will be performing at the 16th Spirit of Christmas carol concert to be held in Chester Cathedral.

In the past the concert has welcomed such stars as Alan Rickman, Imelda Staunton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sophie Thompson, Neil Pearson, Carey Mulligan and Jim Broadbent.  The event has yet to be finalised.

The concert raises money for the Neuromuscular Centre in Winsford which provides vital services and employment for people with muscular dystrophy across the North West and beyond.
Muscular dystrophy is a condition which progressively weakens muscles and for most people this means getting on with life in a wheelchair – the centre receives virtually no government funding and costs £750,000 a year to run.

Last year this event attracted more than 800 people and raised more than £27,000.
Once again, the organisers are running a massive primary school choir competition across Cheshire in association with Chester’s Dee 106.3 and sponsored by Dawsons Music.
The winning choir will perform at the event in front of the audience and celebrities and will be announced on air on Friday, November 18.

Tickets are now available from £10 up to £50 (includes champagne reception with celebrities). Call the NMC on 01606 861733 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 01606 861733 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or buy online at www.nmcentre.com and www.chestercathedral.com.