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Monsieur Wenger isn’t the only Arsenal man with a magic hat. Sometime wizard Sir Ian McKellen arrived on stage in full Gunners mufti at a gala evening at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park last night. And also showing his true colours was Benedict Cumberbatch, who has been accused of being a Chelsea fan.

Not so, he told The Londoner. “I’m an Arsenal fan but I haven’t made it to the Emirates this season,” he admitted, saying he’d been rather busy. The problem arose after he was photographed at Stamford Bridge for a Chelsea match. But “I was with friends,” he protested.

McKellen’s red-and-white get-up wasn’t all it seemed either. “Anyone wondering why I’m dressed like this probably knows as little about football as I do,” said the inveterate thesp. “But there was a great victory yesterday and it involved the Gunners. Although I tell you when we came to rehearsal today you were only safe in Finsbury Park if you were dressed like this.”

The party was for the first anniversary gala for the Park, with champagne flowing while McKellen compered a show with performances from Will Young in funeral drag, and Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse doing their 40/45 years skit on stage for the first time.

Actresses Charity Wakefield, Tamzin Outhwaite and Honeysuckle Weeks were also in the audience.

McKellen auctioned off the Arsenal kit — and who should bid highest for the red-and-white scarf but Cumberbatch. “Next season I’ll be wearing it to every game,” he said, as he fingered the stitching tenderly.