Thriller scenes, taken from the films and series in which he stars, recently lived the famous British star Benedict Cumberbatch and his family. Cumberbatch, his wife and children feared for their lives when a former chef at a luxury hotel barged into their home with a knife.

Jack Bizzell, 35, walked through the iron garden gate of the actor’s £3.5 million north London home, ripped the intercom from the wall and began to unleash a series of terrifying threats.

Bizzell, who has not explained his delirium, was shouting: “I know you moved here, I hope it (the house) burns down.”

Cumberbatch, 46, his wife Sophie Hunter, 45, and their three young children were at home at the time, and could hear Bizzell storming into the garden and screaming.

The former chef at the five-star Beaumont Hotel then removed one of the family’s plants and threw it at the garden wall, spat on the intercom and damaged it using a fish knife.

A source with knowledge of the case commented: “Of course the whole family were absolutely terrified and thought this guy was going to come in and hurt them.”

Fortunately, that didn’t happen. The 35-year-old fled the scene but was arrested after police found his DNA on the intercom.

He admitted what he had done in court earlier this month, was fined £250 and given a three-year restraining order banning him from approaching the Cumberbatch family and the area in which they live.

Prosecutors said that before targeting the star’s home, Bizzell bought two packages of bread from a nearby shop and shouted to the shopkeeper that he was going to break into Cumberbatch’s house and burn it down.

It is not clear yet why Bizzell targeted the Oscar-nominated actor while making no attempt to defend himself in court.