"Sherlock" cast Benedict Cumberbatch was once snubbed by BBC network after his name first cropped up to play the genius sleuth. Showrunner Steven Moffat's decision-making skills were even questioned by the bosses when he dared thought that the 37-year-old was going to be a sexy Sherlock Holmes.

"You promised us a sexy Sherlock, not him," Steven Moffat recalled the conversation with the studio execs in an interview with TIME during the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts.

After four years and three seasons, the BBC has found out that showrunner Steven Moffat proved to be correct all along as "Sherlock" cast Benedict Cumberbatch was a big hit with the ladies, MTV reported.

"This show has been nothing if not a showcase for Benedict Cumberbatch's sex appeal since it premiered in 2010," Kat Rosenfield wrote for MTV.

Earlier this month, Showbiz Spy seemed to confirm "Sherlock" actor Benedict Cumberbatch becoming a sex symbol when it reported that "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson was jealous of the attention he's been getting from girls.

"Rob used to revel in his status as a British sex symbol. He used to play it cool by pretending to be blasé about the whole fame thing, but secretly he loved it," the insider told Showbiz Spy in explaining why "Twilight" actor Robert Pattinson is jealous of the "Star Trek" star.

According to the same insider, "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson is jealous that "Sherlock" actor Benedict Cumberbatch "is getting all the attention and has become the hottest thing in Hollywood."

"Sherlock" actor Benedict Cumberbatch's sexy charms earned him a fifth spot in Glamour magazine's "Sexiest Men of 2013" and No. 1 in Empire magazine's "100 Sexiest Movie Stars" survey. He was also voted UK Sun's "hottest bloke in Britain" in 2012 and 2013.

When asked to comment about his sex symbol status, Benedict Cumberbatch said that "it's hysterical" although he does "enjoy being considered handsome."