Doctor Who: Benedict Cumberbatch linked with The Master? A new tabloid rumour links Benedict Cumberbatch to the role of The Master in Doctor Who. Hmmmm. Our very, very strong guess here is that you're going to need to take liberal doses of salt with regards the latest casting rumour for Doctor Who 's 50th anniversary treats. For, according to The Express, Benedict Cumberbatch is being linked with playing The Master. We'd spoiler-tag this if we thought it was likely to be true, as it strikes us as far more wishful thinking than anything else. The Express cites an unnamed source as saying "It's fitting that the Doctor comes face to face with his ultimate enemy, The Master, for the 50th anniversary and it's felt Benedict is the perfect choice if schedules can work. Fans will love the idea of the man who plays Sherlock Holmes taking on the Doctor''. Well, they probably would. But it can't just be us who's approaching this with much cynicism. Far more likely, we'd suggest, would be that The Master does return for the new series of the show, but in somebody else's guise (and we wouldn't rule out John Simm). We'd love to see what Steven Moffat does with the character if he is back, although this is just speculation and nothing more. As for the idea of Benedict Cumberbatch finally turning up in Doctor Who ? Not impossible, but a very long shot. Here 's the original story.