HE IS the heartthrob who has taken Hollywood by storm and become a firm favourite with film and TV fans.

Now Benedict Cumberbatch has come to Hampshire as part of a secretive shoot for a major television series.

The Sherlock star, who is frequently named one of the sexiest men alive, is filming a new Shakespeare adaptation in Winchester’s Great Hall.

The castle has been fenced off to the public during the three-week shoot. All entrances to the ancient ruins have been barricaded until December 10.

Mr Cumberbatch is playing Richard III in The Hollow Crown, a BBC adaptation of Shakespeare’s historical plays.

It is unclear whether other stars of the series, including Dame Judi Dench, are also filming in Winchester.

The shoot is shrouded in mystery, with runners and cameramen variously telling The Gazette’s sister paper The Daily Echo that they were filming Batman, an Emmerdale Christmas special and “Harry Potter 57”.

But one crew member, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the star was on set filming The Hollow Crown.

“I don’t know whether he’s here today but he has been doing some scenes up there,” he said.

Tourists peered around the barricades and snapped photos of the set, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr Cumberbatch.

The Great Hall, built in 1067, once formed part of Winchester’s Norman castle. Such historic sites are a magnet for filmmakers and this is not the first time the city has been sprinkled with Hollywood stardust.

Hundreds of sightseers flocked to Winchester Cathedral in 2012 as Russell Crowe starred in Les Miserables and the city has been the backdrop of movies such as The Da Vinci Code.