Benedict Cumberbatch reads a hilarious open letter to people who don't lock bathroom doors

In April 2018, American author Andrew Forrester wrote an open letter to People Who Don’t Make Every Conceivable Effort to Ensure that the Bathroom Door is Locked.

To read this very important letter, Benedict Cumberbatch joined us at Letters Live at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2022.

Letter © Andrew Forrester

[faenethlorhalien]

Public toilet doors here in Japan, most of the time, are either tilted or weighed slightly in some way that makes them open up unless locked, so you'd usually notice.

[sireeniddir]

Andrew perfectly captures the paranoia of using public bathrooms, and the compulsive need to constantly check that the door is locked is so accurate.

[classicerynn]

Benedict's reading of hilarious letters is the best! Please have him read more of them! ❤️❤️

[JungianHeights]

I’ll never forget an experience I had five years ago. I was visiting a relative in hospital, and I went to the bathroom. I HAD locked the door. All of a sudden, I see two feet standing outside my stall, so I get myself ready. The door slowly starts to open and I kick it back with my foot. Then, the person outside yells: “Sorry!”, to which I reply, “It’s ok!”.

[berglettemom]

His non-British accent is impressive, but I prefer Ben’s regular accent.

[sean.butterworth]

This man is such a joy to watch and listen to! He’s just terrific at portraying, in such an accurate manner, the state of mind of the author at the time of writing

[ChristopherCricketWallace]

he used his best American accent for this one😂

[MonserratFoster]

I remember walking in on someone in the toilets of a museum and after the person annoyingly said "occupied" I remember replying "well it's hardly my fault, you didn't lock the door"

[Firefly]

My mum once went into a public toilet where the door was missing. She just doesn't care 😂

[Sashazur]

I once opened an airplane lavatory door only to find an older lady sitting on the toilet. She squawked in surprise and I slammed the door shut! For some reason I have the impression that she intentionally didn’t lock it because she was scared to possibly get stuck in there. It was 50 years ago and I still remember it clearly. 😳

[sakshisahu]

Benedict can honestly make us laugh soo hard 🎉❤😇& the author is really Very OPEN in his letter. Hahaha🤣

[jossposs]

I've never walked in on someone in a public toilet, but apparently it's common? One thing that's happend repeatedly though is that people keep trying opening the door after that first time. Like? You can clearly tell when a door is locked and when it's stuck 🤦‍♀️ And even when you don't, why would you assume the bathroom door is stuck? Anyway, it drives me crazy.

[nesnibila]

i had to get a pee sample for the hospital and some caretaker lady undid the lock from the outside of the cubicle while i was using the toliet, walked in, made eyecontact, smiled and waved, took some towels from the corner (it was a large end cubicle) and left. i was so far past shock i just left feeling bemused
note, this was not a single occupancy bathroom on a ward. this was a regular public bathroom setup on a busy corridor

[footfoot]

It’s a good thing the letter didn’t use the word “penguin”

[rridderbusch]

My husband keeps our bathroom door OPEN! Worse yet, while sitting there he can see the side door's window. I can't convince him that if he can see the door's window -- the people outside the door can see him. He has an I.Q. of 150+ but doesn't have any common sense. *HELP ME!*

[mrcat]

I went into a public restroom and a guy in the stall was FaceTiming his wife. WTF is wrong with people.

[tyton]

Starting this video with the toilet door open now slowly closing it

[Angels-xist]

Possibly the most twee and cute way to tackle the concept of consent.

[DC-wtvi]

Can he read this out as my Supreme Commander, Martin Crieff next, please? ✈️

Signed,
GERTI

[kolpik]

In extremely awkward situations such as the one described by Benedict; I have a tendency to blurt out OCUPADO. No, I don't speak Spanish. Strange as it already is, sometimes I'm the one doing "the interrupting" and I still say it. No clue as to why.