Benedict Cumberbatch: 'Downton Abbey's last series was atrocious'

Benedict Cumberbatch has hit out at the last series of ITV's period drama Downton Abbey, saying that it was 'atrocious'.

The Sherlock star told the told Reader's Digest: "We're remembering that there was a world before the First World War. We're living in a culture now that's revering, or having a nostalgia trip with, the beginning of the 1900s. Although Downton traded a lot on the sentiment in the last series...but we won't talk about that series because it was, in my opinion, f***ing atrocious."

This isn't the first time that Benedict has spoken out about Downton Abbey though - he seemingly insulted the U.S. executive producer of the show, Rebecca Eaton, after she won a Golden Globe for the show earlier this year.

In an interview with the New York Times he said: "I just looked at it and went: 'Begone woman. Bring it back when it says Sherlock Holmes or Steven Moffat or myself - someone else who's more deserving than the second series of Downton Abbey.'"

Despite his apparent bitterness towards Downton Abbey, Benedict admitted that his comments towards Rebecca Eaton were in jest - he said to TV line: "First of all, I knew it was the first (season) that it was being awarded for, so that was the first part of the joke. There's no way I would say something like that without it being tongue-in-cheek."

He added: "I can tell you I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey, and what I said was, quite, quite, clearly - to most intelligent New York Times readers - a joke."

Whether he was joking or not, Benedict's latest comments about Downton Abbey are bound to ruffle a few feathers!

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