Benedict Cumberbatch has apologised tonight for being “an idiot” after talking about “coloured actors” on US television.

The apology

Benedict Cumberbatch
(Chris Pizzello/Invision)

He issued a statement tonight saying: “I’m devastated to have caused offence by using this outmoded terminology. I offer my sincere apologies. I make no excuse for my being an idiot and know the damage is done.”

What made the clunking old-fashioned term even more grating was that Cumberbatch used it during a debate on the lack of diversity on British screens.

He said: “I can only hope this incident will highlight the need for correct usage of terminology that is accurate and inoffensive.

“The most shaming aspect of this for me is that I was talking about racial inequality in the performing arts in the UK and the need for rapid improvements in our industry when I used the term.”

At no point in his apology did he try and justify what he’d said, concluding:  ”I feel the complete fool I am and while I am sorry to have offended people and to learn from my mistakes in such a public manner please be assured I have.

“I apologise again to anyone who I offended for this thoughtless use of inappropriate language about an issue which affects friends of mine and which I care about deeply.”

What he actually said

Benedict Cumberbatch
(Joel Ryan/Invision)

Cumberbatch was a guest on US talk show Tavis Smiley. Comments reported by The Independent claim he said:

“I think as far as coloured actors go it gets really difficult in the UK, and a lot of my friends have had more opportunities here (in the US) than in the UK and that’s something that needs to change.”

But was all this in some way a good thing?

Benedict Cumberbatch
(Joel Ryan/Invision)

British anti-racism educational charity Show Racism the Red Card seemed to think that, on balance, it’s a good thing Cumberbatch did what he did – though perhaps not for the actor himself.

Firstly, they say that just by joining the debate he was highlighting “a very important issue within the entertainment industry and within society”.

But his slip was also important – especially since questions about terminology can often cause confusion.

A spokesperson for Show Racism the Red Card said: “Appropriate terminology differs from country to country; for example, we know that in some countries the term ‘coloured’ is still widely used, and that in the US the term ‘people of colour’ is quite common.”

However, in the UK the term “coloured” is now outdated and has the potential to cause offence due to the connotations associated with the term and its historical usage.