Benedict Cumberbatch reveals cross-dressing past

Benedict Cumberbatch has admitted he wasn’t always the leading man when he first started acting – often, he was the leading lady.

The Sherlock star appeared on Conan O’Brien’s US talk show, where he said he had to battle to get the best roles when he began acting.

He said: “I wasn’t confident around girls when I was young. I went to an all-boys boarding school, and actually used to play women in the school plays.