Benedict Cumberbatch Can’t Say ‘Penguin’ | Classic Clip | The Graham Norton Show

Fan Questions and Star Wars Rumors

1. 00:00:00

   Benedict Cumberbatch discusses the changing names of his fanbase, from 'Cumberbitches' to 'Cumbers' and 'Cumber People Collective'.

2. 00:00:31

   Graham Norton asks Benedict about the return of Sherlock and his potential involvement in Star Trek, to which Benedict gives a 'no comment' response.

3. 00:00:45

   Benedict denies being in the new Star Wars movie but admits to visiting the set, describing it as an incredible experience that felt like walking through his childhood.

4. 00:01:46

   Graham recalls Benedict's previous Chewbacca impression and asks if he can do a Jar Jar Binks impression, which Benedict humorously declines.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Dragon Voice

1. 00:02:13

   Benedict Cumberbatch confirms the return of Smaug the dragon and discusses the voice work involved.

2. 00:02:27

   He is asked to perform the dragon's voice live on the show.

3. 00:02:35

   Benedict performs a line in the deep, resonant voice of Smaug, which impresses and slightly frightens the audience.

4. 00:02:56

   He admits he cannot sustain the voice for long and feels faint after the performance.

The Penguin Predicament

1. 00:03:15

   Graham Norton introduces the most common question from viewers: asking Benedict Cumberbatch to say 'penguin'.

2. 00:03:30

   Benedict explains that he apparently mispronounced 'penguin' repeatedly in a documentary about the South Pacific, not specifically about the animal.

3. 00:03:42

   He admits that he is now terrified of the word and avoids it.

4. 00:03:46

   Graham confirms the issue by showing a clip from the documentary, 'Strange Islands', where Benedict's pronunciation becomes increasingly problematic.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Penguin Pronunciation

1. 00:04:01

   A clip plays from a documentary narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, where he pronounces 'penguins' distinctly.

2. 00:04:40

   Benedict explains that the narration process involves a team of natural history experts, not just him, making the mispronunciation more embarrassing.

3. 00:05:00

   Graham Norton questions why no one on the team corrected his pronunciation of 'penguin'.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Penguin Predicament

1. 00:05:11

   Graham Norton highlights the irony of Benedict Cumberbatch, known for his 'penguin' pronunciation difficulty, now starring as a wolf in a film.

2. 00:05:29

   Benedict humorously mentions he's consulted with Disney to ensure he correctly pronounced 'penguin' in his new film.

3. 00:05:36

   He then attempts to pronounce 'penguin' multiple times, with varying degrees of success and self-awareness.

4. 00:05:48

   The segment concludes with a humorous acknowledgment of his sense of achievement in finally saying the word.