Benedict Cumberbatch marries two friends as he officiates at gay wedding

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'It's a lovely thing to be asked to do': Benedict Cumberbatch marries two friends as he officiates at gay wedding in Ibiza

By Joanna Crawley
PUBLISHED: 09:59 GMT, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 13:06 GMT, 25 July 2013

From detective to officiant! Benedict Cumberbatch presides over the marriage of two gay friends in Ibiza

The 37-year-old conducted the ceremony, jetting to the White Isle just hours after learning he’d been nominated for an Emmy Award.

Just before packing his bags, Benedict told Vulture of his wedding gig: 'Of course I’m going to make a joke after it if it goes well- "I do weddings. Next will be children’s parties and bat mitzvahs."

'It’s a mainly Jewish and gay audience so hopefully they will be lenient towards me,' he joked of his high-pressure role.

Big day: Benedict (centre) officiates at the outdoor ceremony, marrying friends Seth Cummings and Rob Rinder

Sunshine break: Benedict relaxes with a group of friends in Ibiza, after officiating at his friends' wedding

Dressed in a dapper black suit and open necked shirt the star was pictured reading from his notes as he presided over the ceremony of his friends Seth Cummings and Rob Ridner.

The stunning location of the Hacienda Hotel saw the happy couple exchange their vows against a backdrop of cliffs as the sun blazed down.

Wedding guest, writer Julie Burchill, raved about the ceremony and Benedict: ‘The hotel was lush, the bridegrooms were beautiful, and the man who married them (to each other) was Benedict Cumberbatch ? so yes, it was quite a blast.’

Benedict has had a busy year starring in Star Trek Into Darkness and shooting the new series of Sherlock which returns to screens later this year

It looks like the busy star is makingthe most of his sunshine break as another photo from the White Isle sees the actor posing shirtless with a group of pals in an outdoor restaurant.

The actor beamed for the snap alongside bikini-clad model Katia Elizarova, entrepreneur Ivan Massow, one of the grooms Rob and fashion designer Ben de Lisi, who was modelling a very deep tan.

According to rumours, Benedict and gorgeous Russian Katia, 26 are getting close with Now Magazine reporting that the pair were spotted kissing and cosying up on a sun lounger after the nuptials.

Cumberbatch and Elizarova were first linked last year after being spotted out together.

However, Cumberbatch denied the rumours at the time, telling the Daily Telegraph that the two are 'just old friends'.

Celebrating: The star found out his latest Emmy nomination, for drama Parade's End, just before jetting to Ibiza

It was a weekend of celebrations for Benedict after his arrival in Ibiza on Friday, which happened to be his 37th birthday. The star had just discovered he had been nominated for an Emmy for his part in BBC drama Parade’s End, his second nod following recognition in 2012 for his lead role in Sherlock.

The actor joked that the Ibiza bash would be a double celebration telling Vulture: 

‘My friend doesn’t even know this. I’ve been so busy trying to get luggage from one airport to another, I haven’t even gotten around to telling him. I managed to tell my mum and dad, who are over the moon.’

Next up for Benedict is his portrayal of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in forthcoming film The Fifth Estate. His portrayal has already set tongues wagging thanks to the critical response from the man himself, and is set for release this October.