Junior medics across the U.K. staged their first strike in 40 years on Tuesday in a row over contracts, pay, and working hours, and the Sherlock star helped one group picketing outside the University College London Hospital tackle the bitter winter temperatures by buying them coffees and hot chocolates.

Pictures on social media shows the actor, who is wearing tinted glasses and large headphones, posing with individual doctors and their placards, and in a large group photograph outside the hospital.

Dr. Farhan Shahid told the London Evening Standard, "It was so nice that Martin Freeman came to support us, with such a nice gesture of bringing hot drinks. He stayed for a while and spoke to everyone before his theatre show."

Yannis Gourtsoyannis adds, "(It was) great to see such a great actor turning up to show his solidarity with us. He has always been vocally supportive of the NHS (National Health Service) and it was good to see him at the picket line."