His fans regularly discuss whether he looks more like ‘an otter’ or ‘a hammerhead shark’, but that hasn’t stopped actor-of-the-moment Benedict Cumberbatch becoming an international sex symbol who’s on the cusp of Hollywood superstardom.

He’s made ‘geektelligence’ hot in the insanely popular BBC series Sherlock, attracted critical acclaim in 12 Years a Slave and The Fifth Estate, and explored his dark side in blockbusters like Star Trek: Into Darkness and the Hobbit trilogy. Along the way he’s won the hearts, minds and Twitter accounts of an alarmingly enthusiastic global fan base, many of whom refer to themselves as ‘Cumberbitches’.

But who is Benedict Cumberbatch, and why do teenagers, their parents and everyone in between love him so much? Illustrated throughout with full-color photographs, Being Benedict Cumberbatch is an essential guide to the man at the center of the Cumberverse.