Benedict Cumberbatch has attempted to shift the blame for his famous photobomb of U2 onto Ellen DeGeneres.

The 12 Years A Slave star has told Time Out that the chat show host - who was presenting the prestigious movie awards - had been encouraging guests to down vodka.

#Oscars PHOTO: Actor Benedict Cumberbatch jumps behind U2 (REUTERS/Mike Blake) pic.twitter.com/kXCei8UoGt

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) March 3, 2014

"Yes, I photobombed U2! But that was all Ellen DeGeneres's fault because she plied everyone with vodka on the red carpet," he alleged.

"Her team was handing out these miniatures. A friend really wanted me to get a photo with U2. So I just saw the opportunity and I've never felt an impulse like it.

"I spotted them all standing around and I thought, 'Perfect!' It wasn't preordained or anything. I just did it."

And he admitted having a marvellous time at the awards.

"Oh god, I had a ridiculously good time.

"I was a little nervous, but then I got there and, like everything on screen, it was smaller than you expect it to be. I felt like I crashed the party a bit."

The perfectly captured snap of Cumberbatch leaping into the air behind U2 went viral after the show.