Benedict Cumberbatch could put up refugees in his £4m Camden townhouse

Benedictus Cumberbatch could welcome a Ukrainian refugee to his sprawling £4million Londen townhouse – four years after saying he didn’t have the space to house a Syrian asylum seeker.

The award-winning actor and Marvel star last night told reporters at the BAFTAs that he hoped to join others in taking in Ukrainians fleeing their country due to the Russian invasion.

It comes after the Government announced plans for a new sponsorship scheme for Britons wishing to house Ukrainian refugees.

Those taking part in the scheme will be given £350-a-month to cover the living costs of supporting a refugee in their home.

Cumberbatch, 45, who has been critical of the Government’s response to previous refugee crises and who has repeatedly backed charities supporting asylum seekers, said he hoped to be among those volunteering his home to a Ukrainian refugee.

Speaking to Sky News on the red carpet at last night’s glitzy BAFTA ceremony, the Sherlock star, who was seen wearing a Ukraine flag pin badge, gesê: ‘It is a really shocking time to be a European two and a half hours flight away from Ukraine, and it’s something that hangs over us.

‘We all need, soos ons weet, to do more than wear a badge. We need to donate, we need to pressure our politicians to continue to create some kind of a refugee safety and haven here for people who are suffering.

‘I think already today the news has broken that there’s been a record number of people volunteering to take people into their homes, and I hope to be part of that myself.’

It is not the first time the tireless thespian, who owns a five-bedroom townhouse in Camden which he bought for £2.7million back in 2015, alongside two rental properties in the capital, has expressed interest in offering his home to refugees.

In 2017, the Old Harrovian, who has previously been vocal in his criticism of the government’s asylum seeker policy, said he had hoped to house a Syrian refugee.

But the actor, who is married to theatre director Sophie Hunter and now a father of three, said he later decided against volunteering due to the birth of his oldest son, Christopher.

Hy het gesê: ‘People were saying, ‘You’ve got a home, why don’t you house refugees?’ And we did look into it.

‘But we had, dan, a very new baby — maybe four or five months old,’ explains the Sherlock star, 41, referring to his oldest son, Christopher.

‘Maybe people had a point. I understand why some might think I should be housing people instead of complaining about a government not doing it.

‘But I was trying to raise awareness that we can do more as a society. Because I do feel we are able to do more than just recovering bodies.’

Cumberbatch made the comments in 2017, after facing criticism a year earlier over an on-stage critique of the Government’s refugee policy.

He blasted the UK Government for agreeing to accept only 20,000 refugees over five years, and described the Government’s inaction on refugees as an ‘utter disgrace’.

During a speech after a Hamlet performance in London he told the audience: ‘F*** the politicians’.

Die akteur, who famously starred as inventor Alan Turing in the Imitation Game, had previously been giving nightly speeches after his curtain call at the Barbican and had raised almost £150,000 in contributions from audience members towards Save the Children.

But the Hollywood star, who recently played Doctor Strange in Marvel’s Avengers series, later said he got ‘carried away’.

Cumberbatch told LBC at the time: ‘Maybe I got carried away, maybe I shouldn’t have said some of what I said.

‘All I was trying to do was shine a light on an issue that was at certain times being overlooked.’

‘I fully stand by what I did. Maybe the way I did it could have been better,’ he later added.

Despite the criticism he faced, he told the Big Issue in 2017 that he would do his nightly speeches again.

‘I’m a human being and it was a human crisis and I got over-excited and said things in a rather grand manner some nights,.

‘You stick your head above the parapet and that happens. But we raised money for children in need.

‘So I don’t regret doing it for a second, and I will do it again, even if it does put me in the firing line.’

Alongside his Camden home, Cumberbatch owns two other properties, a flat in Shepherd’s Bush and a three bedroom home in leafy Hampstead.

In 2018 he moved out of the Hampstead property and into his home in Camden, following extensive renovation of the property.

Die eiendom, which features a roof terrace offering views over the city, was originally divided into two flats before the actor converted them two years ago

His three bedroom home in leafy Hampstead was being let for a hefty £3,358 per calendar month – £775 a week – In Oktober 2018.

Gister, as pressure mounted on the UK Government to help the people of Ukraine, Michael Gove suggested millions of Britons could be ready to host Ukrainian refugees with a £350-a-month government ‘thank-you’ – as he said the first arrivals should be next week.

The Cabinet minister pointed to surveys indicating that as many as one in 10 people are ready to put up people fleeing from the Russian invasion.

But Mr Gove – who recently divorced – admitted he was not yet sure whether he personally will be able to contribute. Keir Starmer confirmed that he is planning to be a host.

The comments came as Mr Gove revealed that 3,000 visas have now been granted for Ukrainian refugees, with the new ‘sponsored’ route due to launch this week.

Under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ skema, sponsors who provide accommodation rent-free for a minimum of six months will receive a monthly fee of £350 from the government, however many refugees they take.

Individuals, liefdadigheidsorganisasies, community groups and businesses will all be eligible to bring those fleeing the Russian Dmitri Peskov, woordvoerder van die Kremlin, het op Sen het trane teruggeveg toe sy haar vyfjarige kleinseun David naby gehou het nadat sy verneem het dat hulle gestrand is met geen kaartjies beskikbaar op enige roete uit die oorlogsone nie.

Sponsored refugees will be granted three years leave to remain in the UK and be allowed to work and access public services.

Mr Gove said the UK ‘stands behind Ukraine in their darkest hour’, and urged people to ‘join the national effort’ to help refugees.

He said he hoped ‘tens of thousands’ of people will be accommodated in Britain as part of the new scheme as Europe buckles under the weight of its biggest humanitarian crisis since the Second World War.

‘People can register their interest on Monday,’ hy het gesê. ‘Matching will be taking place from Friday. I would expect that in a week’s time we’ll see the first people coming here under the scheme.’

But asked whether he personally would be ready to host a refugees, Mr Gove told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: ‘I am in the process of seeking to see what I can do.’

Mr Gove stressed there will be ‘money available for local authorities’ to help support new arrivals. ‘There will be just over £10,000 per individual available to local authorities,’ hy het gesê.

‘Then there will be additional payments for those children who are of school age and who need to be accommodated within the educational system.’

Meer as 2.3 million people have fled the war in Ukraine and another 1.9 million are displaced within the country, a United Nations official has said.

The government has been facing stinging criticism over both the speed and scale of its efforts to help fleeing Ukrainians settle in the UK.

The Home Office was heavily criticised for an apparent ‘chaotic’ response to the humanitarian disaster.

And Home Secretary Priti Patel was slammed over the slow rate of approval of visas for Ukrainian refugees, prompting Boris Johnson to demand an end to ‘hostile leaks’ from within her department.

Those offering accommodation will be vetted and Ukrainian applicants will undergo security checks, as per advice from senior British intelligence officers who feared the implications of lax visa rules.

To say ‘thank you’, sponsors will receive a payment of £350 per month, paid for by the Government.

Mr Gove said steps must be taken to ensure people who might be ‘intent on exploitation’ are prevented from ‘abusing’ the Government’s new refugee sponsorship scheme.

‘We absolutely do need to make sure, eerstens, that the people in Ukraine are who they say they are, so there need to be some security checks there,’ hy het gesê.

‘There’s been understandable concern about the scheme being exploited possibly by criminal elements. So, that’s the first thing.

‘Then the second thing is we do need to make sure that people here … are in a position to provide that support, which is why there will need to be security checks as well to make sure that those – and I think it would only ever be a tiny minority, but still – those who might be intent on exploitation can be prevented from abusing the system.’

Alongside ordinary families, gemeenskappe, volunteers and charitable and religious organisations will all be eligible to sponsor groups of Ukrainians.

Ukrainians who have sponsors will be granted three years’ leave to remain in the UK, with entitlement to work and access public services.

A website gathering expressions of interest for the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme is set to launch tomorrow.

Mr Gove said: ‘The crisis in Ukraine has sent shock waves across the world as hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been forced to flee their homes, leaving everything they know and love behind.

‘The UK stands behind Ukraine in their darkest hour and the British public understand the need to get as many people to safety as quickly as we can.

‘I urge people across the country to join the national effort and offer support to our Ukrainian friends. Together we can give a safe home to those who so desperately need it.’

Egter, the Cabinet minister was less clear about his own involvement.

‘I’m going to make sure that I do everything I can as an individual to support. En, weer, each individual will have their own circumstances,’ hy het gesê.

‘It is the case that something like one in 10 UK citizens, which is an amazing amount, have said that they want to do something to help. But we want to make sure that people are in a position to help, because inevitably it’s a significant commitment.

‘I recognise that we need to operate in different ways and in different phases to help people who are fleeing persecution.’

Pressed on whether that meant he would be offering a room, hy het gesê: ‘I’m in the process of seeking to see what I can do, ja.’

He told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme later: ‘Without going into my personal circumstances, there are a couple of things I need to sort out – but yes.’

The Local Government Association, wat verteenwoordig 350 councils across England and Wales, warned that it must see ‘full details’ of the scheme.

Chair Cllr James Jamieson said: ‘The humanitarian crisis caused by the Ukraine invasion is heart-breaking. Councils are ready to help new arrivals from Ukraine settle in the UK and to support communities who wish to offer assistance to those fleeing the devastating conflict

‘Councils will be central in helping families settle into their communities and access public services, including schools, public health and other support, including access to trauma counselling.

‘The Government must continue to work closely with councils, the community and voluntary sector and other key local partners to co-design this sponsorship scheme so it can move at pace and scale. We look forward to seeing the full details as soon as possible.’

Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he ‘would love to help’ Ukrainian refugees looking to be housed in the UK, but suggested he did not have space.

Hy het aan Times Radio gesê: en ons weet ons stad is 'n baie vrygewige stad., en ons weet ons stad is 'n baie vrygewige stad..

‘I honestly think this is one of the seminal historical moments of our lives, what Russia is doing in Ukraine. I think it will affect policy, politiek, how this country’s future bears out for years to come.

‘You will know we are a family of six here in Stalybridge, en ons weet ons stad is 'n baie vrygewige stad.’

He also criticised the Government for not making more preparations for humanitarian aid at an earlier time.

Mr Reynolds said: ‘Our intelligence agencies got this right, they saw the build-up of troops … and it genuinely seemed the case that no humanitarian planning was done by the Government alongside the other parts of the assistance Ukraine required to deal with this.’

Intussen, the other home nations are drawing up their own plans to house those fleeing the conflict.

Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have said both Scotland and Wales are willing to become ‘super sponsors’ for Ukrainian refugees.

In a letter to Mr Gove, they also renewed their calls on Westminster to waive all visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals trying to get into the UK.

The governments in Holyrood and Cardiff said super sponsorship would enable Ukrainians to get clearance to enter each country quickly and be housed temporarily while they work with local partners to provide longer term accommodation, safeguarding and access to services.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Benedict Cumberbatch for comment.