BENEDICT Cumberbatch was among a glittering host of movie stars visiting Bicester to appear in a new film about code-breaking genius Alan Turing.

Former RAF Bicester, now occupied by Bicester Heritage, provided the perfect backdrop for key scenes for The Imitation Game, already being tipped for Oscar recognition.

Bicester Heritage now provides a place for companies restoring vintage and classic cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes.

The site, near the M40, is the former home of a wartime RAF bomber station, and opened to the public in June. Its red brick buildings, hangars and airfield are being refurbished to provide an authentic period setting for specialists, and its ‘Power House’ – previously used to generate electricity – attracted the attention of film producers for The Imitation Game.

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Sherlock star Cumberbatch plays Turing and Keira Knightley co-stars as a fellow codebreaker.

On Wednesday, Cumberbatch and Knightley opened this year’s London Film Festival, bringing crowds to Leicester Square.

He said: “If is creates an interest for people to see the film, then that’s fantastic.”

Oxford Mail:

Bicester Heritage managing director Dan Geoghegan said he was delighted that the Power House featured in The Imitation Game for scenes showing Hut 11, the codebreaking hut where Turing built his Colossus computer.

Mr Geoghegan said: “It certainly lifted our spirits to have the film crew here and we would be very open to having a movie crew on site here again.

“I’m very much looking forward to the film coming out and we will be taking staff to watch it in Bicester on the day it is released.”

Filming took place at Bicester Heritage last year. It also took place at the Sue Ryder hospice in Nettlebed, near Wallingford.

The Imitation Game, made by StudioCanal, will be released on Friday, November 14.

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