Benedict Cumberbatch standing up to cancer

Benedict Cumberbatch is among the celebrities that have joined the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. Photo / AP

Famous actors including Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba and Gillian Anderson have come together for highly visual campaign to drive home the urgency of developing new treatments for cancer.

The Sherlock, Luther and X-Files stars are joined by Tom Hardy, Michelle Dockery, Eddie Redmayne, Anna Friel, Sheridan Smith and Steve Coogan to star in an exclusive short film and set of photographs shot by the photographer and director Greg Williams to support the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

The 57-minute film features each of the actors running towards the camera in a defiant stance and is edited together with portraits of cancer patients who are also supporting the campaign.

Organisers say the message is that there is an urgent needed to act to develop new cancer treatments for UK patients and save more lives.

Williams said: "It's been an honour to be involved in the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

"I lost my mum to cancer, something I feel strongly that no one should ever have to experience.

"By making this film and collection of images, I've been able to help to bring Stand Up To Cancer's vital work to the fore and help build momentum in the fight against cancer."

Cumberbatch said: "I'm standing up to cancer because some of the real life heroes amongst us, scientists and researchers, need funding so they can continue their life saving work.

"Cures are within our grasp and we can't slow down in our fight against this terrible disease. We can be the generation that really makes a difference, who wouldn't want to be part of that?"

Elba said his father died from lung cancer last year.

"It affected the whole family, turned our lives upside down and is truly something that we absolutely need to stop in the future," he said.

"What we need to do this is funding, and that's why it's so important for people to do what they can to support Stand Up To Cancer and help beat cancer sooner."

Anderson said: "We need to let cancer know that it's now payback time and we will do whatever is in our power to beat it."

Stand Up To Cancer is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

The campaign will culminate in a live TV fundraising show on Channel 4 on Friday October 17.

- PAA