In a move that sent thousands of women into a dark depression and gave thousands of men hope for finally being let out of the Friend Zone, Benedict Cumberbatch has announced that he is getting married to his girlfriend of five years, actress Sophie Hunter.
And by “announced,” I mean that quite literally. Cumberbatch took out an announcement in The Times of London. It was only a small notice, all the way back on page 57. But that was enough. The notice read:
“The engagement is announced between Benedict, son of Wanda and Timothy Cumberbatch of London, and Sophie, daughter of Katherine Hunter of Edinburgh and Charles Hunter of London.”
When asked to confirm the announcement, Cumberbatch’s rep said in a statement.
“I am delighted to confirm this morning’s announcement that Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter are engaged.”
Cumberbatch and Hunter met on the set of Charles Darwin movie Burlesque Fairytales in 2009.
The couple have kept things low-key, not being photographed much together. In this way they have successfully avoided much of the tabloid attention that their celebrity peers get. But now that the announcement has been made, no matter how quietly, write-ups on who Sophie Hunter is are popping up all over the Interwebs.
The reaction to the engagement announcement among Cumberbatch’s female fans was visceral.
Gloomiest day for most women,Benedict Cumberbatch is officially engaged! If only I had the chance hwaaaaa…. #brokenhearted #feellikecrying
— RetnaHanani (@RetnaHanani) November 5, 2014
Benedict Cumberbatch, engaged?!!!! Ahhh…I'm happy for him but…nooo… #bittersweet #heartbreak #tearsofjoy #CumberbatchEngagement
— Jenny Park (@jennaye789) November 6, 2014
Just read that Benedict Cumberbatch is engaged, well now I don't know what to do with my life anymore
— Rizka Khairani (@rizkhairani) November 6, 2014
With news of Benedict Cumberbatch's engagement, several fans have angrily closed down their GeoCities fanpages.
— Chris Regan (@ChrisRRegan) November 5, 2014
Benedict Cumberbatch is engaged and it's not to you
— reasons to cry (@whynottosmile) November 5, 2014