British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has been appointed President of the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA), taking over from Timothy West.

The Sherlock star commented 'Having trained at LAMDA, I am thrilled to have been appointed as its new President and would like to thank my predecessor, the great Timothy West, for his remarkable and steadfast tenure. It will be an honour to watch the next generation of actors, directors and technicians blossom and grow into outstanding creative artists and theatre professionals through the exceptional training provided by LAMDA'.