Benedict Cumberbatch insists he's not a hero despite recently tackling a mugger in the streets of London.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch

The 41-year-old actor came to the rescue of a Deliveroo driver, who was being mugged by four thugs near Baker Street in the UK capital - but Benedict has rubbished suggestions that he's become a real-life hero.

The British star - who plays the role of Sherlock Holmes in the popular BBC series 'Sherlock - told The Sun newspaper: "I'm no hero. There are real-life heroes out there and I'm not one of them."

Benedict and his wife Sophie Hunter, 40, were travelling in an Uber when they spotted a Deliveroo cyclist surrounded by four men and being hit over the hit with a bottle.

The driver quickly stopped the car and he and Benedict got out and intervened in the assault, saving the grateful cyclist from further injury.

Following the dramatic incident, driver Manuel Dias said: "Benedict was courageous, brave and selfless. If he hadn't stepped in the cyclist could have been seriously injured.

"Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street.

"He stood there instructing them in the street, shouting, 'Leave him alone'."

Mr Dias praised Benedict for his bravery and explained that the attackers ran away when they saw that the hero was the famous actor.

He shared: "I had hold of one lad and Benedict another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest.

"They tried to hit him but he defended himself and pushed them away. He wasn't injured. Then I think they also saw it was Benedict and ran away."