'Empower yourselves if you're going to get silly about a guy': Benedict Cumberbatch admits his fans make him squirm... as he reveals he's yet to discover sex of first child

By Jason Chester for MailOnline

Published: 10:29 EST, 14 January 2015 | Updated: 11:09 EST, 14 January 2015

Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch fended off queries about his unborn baby in a TV interview and admitted his female fans made him 'squirm' when they called themselves Cumberb****s.

The actor, tipped for an Oscar nomination for his performance as codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, told US chat show host Ellen DeGeneres that he and his partner, Sophie Hunter, did not know the sex of their baby yet.

He told her: 'We're gonna have some kind of baby.'

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Plenty to talk about: Benedict Cumberbatch admitted his female fans made him 'squirm' when they called themselves Cumberb****s

Plenty to talk about: Benedict Cumberbatch admitted his female fans made him 'squirm' when they called themselves Cumberb****s

Cumberbatch was questioned about his female fans and admitted: 'It's like squeezing a confession out of me to actually say that word. I kind of squirm a little bit about it.'

He told DeGeneres he had a 'problem with the name initially, saying: 'I just went, ladies, this is wonderful, I'm very flattered, but has this not set feminism back a little bit?

'Empower yourselves if you're going to get silly about a guy with maybe a little bit more of a, sort of, you know, a high-regard, self-regard thing. 

Here he comes: The British actor was given a warm reception by fans after taking to the stage on Tuesday 

Here he comes: The British actor was given a warm reception by fans after taking to the stage on Tuesday 

'But yeah, they were very sweet. They wrote back and were, like, well, we didn't mean any harm to feminism, we're just having a little bit of fun with your name.'

The Imitation Game star had been hotly-tipped for awards glory in his role as WWII code-breaker Alan Turing at the Golden Globes on Sunday evening, but lost out to Eddie Redmayne in the Best Actor category.

The film also missed out on the Best Motion Picture - Drama gong in favour of Boyhood, Best Screenplay went to Birdman's scribes instead and leading lady Keira Knightley was shunned in favour of Boyhood's Patricia Arquette. 

However, Benedict took his loss in good grace and made the most of the ceremony by pulling a few cheeky pranks on his showbiz pals.

The popular actor was spotted doing a Jennifer Lawrence by photobombing Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep. 

Expectant father: But Benedict admitted that he and his partner, Sophie Hunter, did not know the sex of their baby yet

Expectant father: But Benedict admitted that he and his partner, Sophie Hunter, did not know the sex of their baby yet

Happy couple: Benedict and Sophie will welcome their first child later this year. The couple announced their engagement in The Times newspaper on January 7

Happy couple: Benedict and Sophie will welcome their first child later this year. The couple announced their engagement in The Times newspaper on January 7

  

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