BENEDICT Cumberbatch has opened up about welcoming Ukrainian refugees into his home.

The Hollywood actor, who went to school in East Grinstead, has signed up for the Homes For Ukraine scheme, but said the family are yet to move in.

Speaking at a photocall ahead of the release of Marvel’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, he said he is “monitoring their progress every day”.

“They’ve made it out of Ukraine. Sadly they’re undergoing some medical treatment at the moment – to say anything more about that would be an invasion of their privacy, and too much about when they’re coming and how that’s being managed would invade mine.

“But I want to give them some stability after the turmoil that they’ve experienced, and that’s within my home.

“And then, from outside, I’ve been trying to help other Ukrainian families and nationals that are UK citizens, to house their extended families en masse, which is very costly.

“So I’ve been trying to help out with that financially in a couple of instances and working through a wonderful charity called Refugees At Home, which is a great gateway to the government scheme, but also to offering further and wider support that’s needed for the psychological trauma that these people are suffering from, that they are coming into our homes with and that we’ll need further help with.

"However gentle and generous and welcoming we are as hosts, we don’t have the skills of the mental health profession to necessarily deal with those. I would urge people to seek out further help to bolster their efforts and people are doing an amazing amount.”

According to UN estimates, 2,435 civilians have been killed and 2,946 wounded since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Marvel’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, directed by Sam Raimi, sees Oscar-nominated Benedict Cumberbatch reprise his role as neurosurgeon Dr Stephen Strange, alongside a cast which features Chiwetel Ejiofor, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams.

The actor attended boarding schools from the age of eight and he was educated at Brambletye School.

He was also an arts scholar at Harrow School.