Benedict Cumberbatch has been joined by his wife Sophie Hunter at the Los Angeles premiere of his new series Patrick Melrose.

The couple were photographed together at the screening at the Linwood Dunn Theatre.

Theatre and opera director Hunter wore a long red dress and a wide-brimmed black hat for the unveiling of the series.

Benedict Cumberbatch with his wife Sophie Hunter at the LA Premiere of Patrick Melrose.
Benedict Cumberbatch with his wife Sophie Hunter at the LA premiere of Patrick Melrose (Richard Shotwell/AP)

Cumberbatch plays the title role of the new five-part drama which is an adaptation of novels by Edward St Aubyn.

Each episode depicts a chapter in the life of the troubled protagonist, from his abusive childhood to his drug addictions in adulthood.

The Sherlock star has described the role as “one of the two roles on my bucket list” along with Hamlet, who he portrayed at London’s Barbican theatre in 2015.

Before being offered the part he had voiced a desire to play Melrose during an online forum with fans on the website Reddit.

Benedict Cumberbatch with Patrick Melrose co-stars Allison Williams and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Benedict Cumberbatch with co-stars Allison Williams and Jennifer Jason Leigh (Richard Shotwell/AP)

After reading the books, Cumberbatch believed he could play its main character.

He said: “It’s an awful thing to say, considering how monstrous some of these people are, but I just felt that I had a slight lock in to the world.

“I had a little understanding of that milieu – the brilliance but coldness of the cynicism and the irony.”

Cumberbatch was also pictured with co-stars Allison Williams and Jennifer Jason Leigh at Wednesday night’s premiere.

Leigh plays Melrose’s mother Eleanor and Williams stars as Marinane, who the character meets during his hedonistic pursuits in New York.

Lord Of The Rings and The Matrix actor Hugo Weaving plays Melrose’s father David.

Patrick Melrose begins in the UK on Sunday May 13 on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.