Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has revealed he almost turned down the role that has made him famous all over the world.

The 39-year-old actor has starred as the modern incarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in the award-winning BBC show since 2010.

Benedict told CNN: “I was very wary about stepping into the limelight and the populist role like Sherlock Holmes, but the minute I saw who was involved and read the script and the quality of it I thought, ‘I’ve got to do this.’”

Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman
Benedict Cumberbatch with Sherlock star Martin Freeman (BBC)

But luckily for fans he did say yes and the show has gained him such cult status that fans are currently queuing for hours for get tickets to see him in Hamlet on stage in London.

Talking about playing Sherlock, he said: “Hopefully I haven’t left being a respected actor behind by playing Sherlock. I was just going from great jobs but they weren’t in the limelight. They weren’t in the public eye quite to the extent that I knew that character no matter what we did with it was going to garner that kind of attention.

“You know it has been extraordinary I’ve asked some of the people here because I’m fascinated to know why it has such a sort of cultural hold globally. In the UK you get it, you kind of grow up on that. But, it’s the power of the original stories and how true, despite it being modernisation, we’ve managed to hold to those original stories.”

Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet
Benedict Cumberbatch is currently starring in Hamlet at the Barbican (Johan Persson)

He’s also thankful for his legion of fans, known as ‘Cumberb****es’. He said they’ve always been very supportive of his work which is the “great thing”.

“It’s a fun ride to sort of to be on for them and I guess for me as well. It’s a strange thing, it’s an interesting thing you don’t really start out doing what I do so I think right what’s the fan base getting involved?”, he said. “But by and large they’re very intelligent, and engaging and supportive bunch of people so it’s been fun to go on the road with them.

The Hobbit star admitted that the role has changed his life when it came to being recognised wherever he goes, but he tried to see the funny side.

Benedict said: “I still giggle when people sort of fall about if they meet me in the streets or something. I find it funny. I’ve had the same face for however long I’ve been doing it, over 10 years now and it’s only recently it’s that face that’s garnered more attention or whatever, obsession.”

Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter (Jordan Strauss/Invision)

But being thought of a sex symbol is a little harder for him to come to terms with.

The Doctor Strange star said: “Just truly strange. I’ve been around a while now before this face which I’ve woken up with for 38 years now, a little bit longer, and I just go that’s the way I look and the first sort of few years of my career nobody sort of battered an eyelid, I didn’t cause any stares, wasn’t on the front page of any magazines or in polls or in calendars or on coffee mugs or god knows what else.

“And now it has just, yeah, it’s gone a bit berserk. It’s fun, it’s funny and it’s amusing. If you take it seriously I think you’re doomed really. Cause this ain’t going to last forever and hopefully my acting career will last at least as long as I last.”

CNN’s Talk Asia airs Saturday September 5 at 16.30 BST and Saturday September 12 at 12.30 BST on CNN International.