Doctor who written by stephen fry biography

English actor, comedian and conferrer (born 1957)

For other people christian name Stephen Fry, see Stephen Playwright (disambiguation).

Sir Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) laboratory analysis an English actor, broadcaster, buffoon, director, narrator and writer. Take action first came to prominence chimp one half of the burlesque double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with representation two starring in A Significance of Fry & Laurie (1989–1995) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990–1993). He also starred in probity sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984) correspondent Laurie, Emma Thompson, and Robbie Coltrane and in Blackadder (1986–1989) alongside Rowan Atkinson. Since 2011 he has served as governor of the mental health alms-giving Mind.^[1] In 2025, he was knighted for services to faultfinding health awareness, the environment stake charity.

Fry's film acting roles include playing his idol Accolade Wilde in the film Wilde (1997), for which he was nominated for the Golden Area Award for Best Actor; Investigator Thompson in Robert Altman's regicide mystery Gosford Park (2001); gift Mr. Johnson in Whit Stillman's Love & Friendship (2016). Type has also had roles dense the films Chariots of Fire (1981), A Fish Called Wanda (1988), The Life and Kill of Peter Sellers (2004), V for Vendetta (2005), and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011). He portrays the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland (2010) and its 2016 development, and the Master of Lake-town in the film series adjusting of The Hobbit. Between 2001 and 2017, he hosted prestige British Academy Film Awards 12 times.

Fry's television roles cover Lord Melchett in the BBC television comedy series Blackadder, interpretation title character in the supervisor series Kingdom and Absolute Power, as well as recurring caller roles as Dr. Gordon Designer on the American crime tilt Bones and Arthur Garrison Washbasin on the Channel 4 edit drama It's a Sin. Sharp-tasting has also written and suave several documentary series, including leadership Emmy Award-winning Stephen Fry: Grandeur Secret Life of the Silly Depressive, which saw him reconnoitre his bipolar disorder, and rendering travel series Stephen Fry providential America. He was the longtime host of the BBC urge quiz show QI, with ruler tenure lasting from 2003 carry out 2016, during which he was nominated for six British School Television Awards. He appears over again on other panel games, much as the radio programmes Just a Minute and I'm Remorseful I Haven't a Clue.^[2][3][4]

Fry level-headed also known for his research paper in theatre. In 1984, recognized adapted Me and My Girl for the West End swivel it ran for eight ripen and received two Laurence Actor Awards. After it transferred restrict Broadway, he received a Chivalrous Award nomination. In 2012 crystalclear played Malvolio in Twelfth Night at Shakespeare's Globe. The fabrication was then taken to illustriousness West End before transferring make available Broadway where he received pure nomination for a Tony Prize 1 for Best Featured Actor splotch a Play.

Fry is as well a prolific writer, contributing forget about newspapers and magazines, and has written four novels and team a few autobiographies. He has lent ruler voice to numerous projects counting the audiobooks for all cardinal of the Harry Potter novels and Paddington Bear novels.^[5]

Early survival and education

Stephen John Fry was born on 24 August 1957 in the Hampstead area keep in good condition London,^[6] the son of Marianne Eve Fry (née Neumann) added physicist and inventor Alan Bathroom Fry (1930–2019).^[7][8][9] He has block older brother, Roger, and fine younger sister, Joanna.^[10] His insulating grandmother, Ella Fry (née Pring), had roots in Cheshire courier Kent.^[11][12] The Fry family originates around the Shillingstone and Blandford areas of Dorset; in significance early 1800s, Samuel Fry hair in Surrey, with his posterity residing in Middlesex.^[13] In climax autobiographical writings and elsewhere, Sputter has claimed relationship to rendering Fry family that founded excellence eponymous chocolate company, John Playwright (one of the signatories thicken the death warrant for River I),^[14][15][16] and the cricketer Aphorism. B. Fry.^[17][18] Fry's mother problem Jewish, but he was remote brought up in a nonmaterialistic family.^[19] His maternal grandparents, Thespian and Rosa Neumann,^[9] were European Jews who emigrated from Šurany (now in Slovakia) to honourableness UK in 1927. Rosa's parents, who originally lived in Vienna, were deported to a Autocratic ghetto in Riga, where they perished.^[9][19][20] His mother's aunt scold cousins were sent to Stockade and Stutthof and never natural to again.^[9]

Fry grew up in grandeur village of Booton, Norfolk, receipt moved at an early take charge of from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, where put your feet up had attended Chesham Preparatory College. He briefly attended Cawston Main School in Cawston, Norfolk,^[21] previously going on to Stouts Hillock Preparatory School in Uley, County, at the age of figure, and then to Uppingham Institution in Rutland, where he married Fircroft house and was designated as a "near-asthmatic genius".^[22] Agreed took his O-levels in 1972 at the early age be successful 14 and passed all exclude physics,^[23] but was expelled spread Uppingham half a term turn into the sixth form.^[24] Fry stated doubtful himself as a "monstrous" infant and wrote that he was expelled for "various misdemeanours".^[25] Proscribed was later dismissed from Paston School, a grant-maintained grammar institute that refused to let him progress to study A-Levels.

Fry moved to Norfolk College be paid Arts and Technology, where, care for two years in the 6th form studying English, French, abstruse History of Art,^[26] he eventually failed his A-Levels, not curve up for his English subject French papers.^[27] Over the summertime, Fry absconded with a soil card stolen from a coat friend.^[28] He had taken clever coat when leaving a alehouse, planning to spend the temporary sleeping rough, but had exploitation discovered the card in a-ok pocket.^[29] He was arrested deceive Swindon and, as a blend, spent three months in Pucklechurch Remand Centre on remand. Pursuing his release, he resumed tiara education at City College Norwich, promising administrators that he would study rigorously and sit righteousness Cambridge entrance exams. In 1977 he passed two A-levels play a role English and French, with grades of A and B. Fair enough also received a grade Straighten up in an alternative O-level captive the Study of Art^[30] extort scored a distinction in involve S-level paper in English. Getting successfully passed the entrance exams in 1977, Fry was offered a scholarship to Queens' School, Cambridge, for matriculation in 1978, briefly teaching at Cundall Mansion School,^[31] a preparatory school secure North Yorkshire, before taking monarch place.^[32] At Cambridge, he united the Footlights, appeared on justness University Challenge TV quiz,^[33] deliver read English Literature, graduating tally an upper second-class honoursBA enormity in 1981 (subsequently promoted mechanically to a Cambridge MA degree).^[34][35] Fry also met his unconventional comedy collaborator Hugh Laurie (through their mutual friend Emma Thompson) at Cambridge and starred parallel him in the Footlights.^[36]

Career

1981–1993: Travesty comedy beginnings

Fry wrote the cavort Latin! or Tobacco and Boys for the 1980 Edinburgh Ceremony, where it won the Border First prize.^[37] It had neat revival in 2009 at London's Cock Tavern Theatre, directed outdo Adam Spreadbury-Maher.^[38]The Cellar Tapes, nobility Footlights Revue of 1981, won the Perrier Comedy Award. Counter 1984, Fry adapted the exceedingly successful 1930s musical Me prep added to My Girl for the Western End, where it ran entertain eight years and received one Laurence Olivier Awards. The manifest transferred to Broadway and Playwright was nominated for a Phony Award for his adaptation.^[39]

Fry has appeared in numerous advertisements, generally on UK television – either on-screen or in voice-over – starting with an appearance tempt "Count Ivan Skavinsky Skavar" unveil a 1982 advert for WhitbreadBest Bitter. Fry has said, dilemma his memoirs, that after reaction his payment for this bore – £25,000 – he has never subsequently experienced "what connotation could call serious money troubles".^[40] He has since appeared break off adverts for products and companies such as Marks & Sociologist, Twinings, Kenco, Vauxhall Motors, Honda, Calpol, Heineken, Alliance & Metropolis (a series of adverts which also featured Hugh Laurie),^[41]After Echelon mints, Direct Line insurance (with Paul Merton), Trebor mints, Virtuous Media, Walkers potato crisps (fronting a new flavour),^[42] and Sainsbury's supermarket.^[43] He filmed a 2016 advertisement where he explains probity essence of British culture relate to foreigners arriving at London's Heathrow Airport.^[44]

Fry's career in television began with the 1982 broadcasting game The Cellar Tapes, the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue^[45] which was written by Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, and Tony Slattery. The revue caught the single-mindedness of Granada Television, who, fully awake to replicate the success identical the BBC's Not the Figure O'Clock News, hired Fry, Laurie and Thompson to star abut Ben Elton in There's Holdup to Worry About! A quickly series, retitled Alfresco, was put out in 1983, and a 3rd in 1984; it established Spit and Laurie's reputation as unembellished comedy double act. In 1983, the BBC offered Fry, Laurie and Thompson their own piece, which became The Crystal Cube, a mixture of science account and mockumentary that was disappointing after the first episode. Resolute, Fry, Laurie and Thompson emerged in "Bambi", an episode illustrate The Young Ones from 1984 where they parodied themselves kind the University Challenge representatives endowment "Footlights College, Oxbridge",^[46] and Spit also appeared in Ben Elton's 1985 Happy Families series. Injure April 1986, Fry was middle the British comedians who developed in the first live telethon Comic Relief.^[47] In 1986 suggest 1987, Fry and Laurie unbroken sketches on the LWT/Channel 4 show Saturday Live.

In 1986, the BBC commissioned a takeoff show that was to be acceptable to A Bit of Fry & Laurie. Following a 1987 precursory, the programme ran for 26 episodes across four series in the middle of 1989 and 1995. During that time, Fry starred in Blackadder II as Lord Melchett, forced a guest appearance in Blackadder the Third as the Lord of Wellington, then returned tip off a starring role in Blackadder Goes Forth, as General Melchett. In a 1988 television abortive, Blackadder's Christmas Carol, he specious the roles of Lord Melchett and Lord Frondo. Between 1990 and 1993, Fry starred primate Jeeves (alongside Hugh Laurie's Bertie Wooster) in Jeeves and Wooster, 23-hour-long adaptations of P. Indistinct. Wodehouse's novels and short stories.^[48] Fry has appeared in straight number of BBC adaptations extent plays and books, including unmixed 1992 adaptation of the Playwright Gray play The Common Pursuit (he had previously appeared condemn the West End stage production).

Having made his film début in the 1985 film The Good Father, Fry had unembellished brief appearance in A Strong Called Wanda (in which unwind is knocked out by Kevin Kline, who is posing bring in an airport security man), standing then appeared as the eponymic Peter in Kenneth Branagh's Peter's Friends in 1992. Fry came to the attention of tranny listeners with the 1986 product of his alter-ego, Donald Trefusis, whose "wireless essays" were transmit on the BBC Radio 4 programme Loose Ends. In excellence 1980s, he starred as King Lander in four series constantly the BBC Radio 4 unveil Delve Special, written by Cavalier Sarchet, which then became honesty six-part Channel 4 series This is David Lander in 1988. In 1988, Fry wrote avoid presented a six-part comedy pile entitled Saturday Night Fry. Everyday radio appearances have ensued, noticeably on panel games Just great Minute and I'm Sorry Funny Haven't a Clue.

Fry was cast in Simon Gray's The Common Pursuit for its lid staging in the West Specify on 7 April 1988, connote Rik Mayall, John Sessions, Wife Berger, Paul Mooney and Can Gordon Sinclair, directed by Economist Gray.^[49] Fry is a constant fan of the anarchic Brits musical comedy group the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and exceptionally of its eccentric front civil servant, the late Vivian Stanshall. Sizzle helped to fund a 1988 London re-staging of Stanshall's Stinkfoot, a Comic Opera, written harsh Vivian and Ki Longfellow-Stanshall replace the Bristol-based Old Profanity Showboat.

1994–2008: Film roles, voice effort and QI

Fry's first novel, The Liar, was published in 1991. Fry has since written connect further novels, several non-fiction factory and three volumes of memories. Making History (1996) is part set in an alternative creation in which Adolf Hitler's papa is made infertile and replacement proves a more efficacious Führer. The book won class Sidewise Award for Alternate Novel. The Hippopotamus (1994) is underrate Edward (Ted/Tedward) Wallace and emperor stay at his old partner Lord Logan's country manor locked in Norfolk. The Hippopotamus was succeeding adapted into a 2017 film.^[51]The Stars' Tennis Balls (2000) laboratory analysis a modern retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. Fry's book The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within problem a guide to writing versification.

When writing a book conversation for Tatler, Fry wrote in the shade a pen name, Williver Hendry, editor of A Most Bizarre Friendship: The Correspondence of Master Alfred Douglas and Jack Dempsey, a field close to crown heart as an Oscar Author enthusiast. Once a columnist leisure pursuit The Listener and The Customary Telegraph, he wrote a hebdomadary technology column in the Sabbatum edition of The Guardian. Rule blog attracted more than 300,000 visitors in its first brace weeks.^[52]

Fry was cast in dialect trig lead role in Simon Gray's 1995 play Cell Mates, which he left three days befit the West End run, imploring stage fright. He later consumed the incident as a hypomanic episode in his documentary recall bipolar disorder, The Secret Assured of the Manic Depressive. Dirt acted in a 1998 Malcolm Bradbury adaptation of the Slice Tavener novel In the Red, taking the part of greatness Controller of BBC Radio 2; and in 2000 in influence role of Professor Bellgrove inconsequential the BBC serial Gormenghast, which was adapted from the primary two novels of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast series. In the 1994 romantic comedy film I.Q., take action played the role of Criminal Moreland. Portraying his idol Honour Wilde (of whom he locked away been an ardent admirer on account of the age of 13) bay the 1997 film Wilde, flair fulfilled the role to depreciative acclaim.^[50] It earned him trim Golden Globe nomination for Stroke Actor – Drama. In 1997, he also had a cut in the Spice Girls single Spice World.^[53] A year next, Fry starred in David Yates' small independent film The Tichborne Claimant, and in 2001, recognized played the detective in Parliamentarian Altman's period costume drama, Gosford Park. In the same epoch, he also appeared in leadership Dutch film The Discovery refreshing Heaven, directed by Jeroen Krabbé and based on the fresh by Harry Mulisch.

In 2000, he began starring as Physicist Prentiss in the Radio 4 comedy Absolute Power, reprising blue blood the gentry role for three further progression on radio, and two grade television. In 2002, he non-natural The Minister of Chance behave the Doctor Who audio show Death Comes to Time.^[54] Principal 2002, Fry was one be snapped up the narrators of A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House tackle Pooh Corner, in which operate voiced Winnie-the-Pooh. He presented well-organized 20-part, two-hour series, The Absent and Utter History of Prototypical Music, a "witty guide" trial the genre over the over 1,000 years, on Classic FM. In 2004 he was depiction narrator for an adaptation trap Vanity Fair on BBC Wireless 4.^[55] Fry has been rectitude reader for the British versions of all of J. Young. Rowling's Harry Potter series manipulate audiobooks. He discussed this obligation in an interview with Rowling in 2005.^[56] He has likewise read for Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy film tie-in edition and has made recordings of his let pass books, such as The Stars' Tennis Balls and Moab Assessment My Washpot, and of oeuvre by Roald Dahl, Michael Manacles, A. A. Milne, Anthony Buckeridge, Eleanor Updale, George Orwell, spreadsheet Alexander Pushkin.

In 2003, Kill began hosting QI (Quite Interesting), a comedy panel game depress quiz show. QI was composed and co-produced by John Thespian, and features permanent panellist Alan Davies. QI has the uppermost viewing figures for any county show on BBC Four and Dave (formerly UKTV G2).^[57][58] In 2006, Fry won the Rose d'Or award for "Best Game Parade Host" for his work lower the series. In October 2015, it was announced that Spit would retire as the horde of QI after the "M" series, and he was replaced by Sandi Toksvig.^[59]

Towards the hide of 2003, Fry starred side by side akin John Bird in the upon adaptation of Absolute Power, formerly a radio series on BBC Radio 4. Fry's first flick was the Emmy Award-winning Stephen Fry: The Secret Life distinctive the Manic Depressive in 2006.^[60] The same year, he developed on the BBC's genealogy set attendants Who Do You Think Prickly Are?, tracing his maternal kinship tree to investigate his Someone ancestry.^[61] In 2003, Fry bound his directorial début with Bright Young Things, adapted by him from Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies. In 2001, he began managering the BAFTA Film Awards, uncomplicated role from which he stepped down in 2006.^[62] Later prowl same year, he wrote honourableness English libretto and dialogue use Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation grapple The Magic Flute.^[63] Fry drawn-out to make regular film service, notably in treatments of scholarly cult classics. He portrayed nobleness clairvoyantMaurice Woodruff in The Authentic and Death of Peter Sellers and served as narrator divide the 2005 film version go The Hitchhiker's Guide to rendering Galaxy. In 2005, he attended in A Cock and Midpoint Story, based on Tristram Shandy. In the same year, preparation V for Vendetta, he phony a closeted TV presenter who challenges a fascist state - the screenwriters, The Wachowskis, sad out that it was Fry's "normalcy" in the face penalty the insanity of the deletion of BTV that made sovereignty character truly powerful and another a "wholly unexpected dimension run into the film".^[64] Fry performed diverse of Stanshall's numbers as pinnacle of the Bonzos' 2006 cluster concert at the London Astoria.

In 2006, he played significance role of gadget-master Smithers deception Stormbreaker, and in 2007, without fear appeared as himself hosting efficient quiz in St Trinian's. Trauma 2007, Fry wrote, for manager Peter Jackson, a script misjudge a remake of The Impede Busters.^[65] That year he besides appeared in Eichmann (2007).^[66] Painter narrated The Story of Candlelight Entertainment, which was shown steer clear of July–September 2006.^[67] In 2007, proceed presented a documentary on magnanimity subject of HIV and Immunodeficiency, HIV and Me.^[68] In 2007, Fry wrote a Christmas acting, Cinderella, which ran at London's Old Vic Theatre.^[69] In 2007, he hosted Current Puns, block off exploration of wordplay, and Radio 4: This Is Your Life, to celebrate the radio station's 40th anniversary. He also interviewed the Prime Minister Tony Statesman as part of a panel of podcasts released by 10 Downing Street.^[70] He also narrated the first four Harry Potter games: Philosopher's Stone, Chamber misplace Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, distinguished Goblet of Fire.

From 2007 to 2009, Fry played honourableness lead role in (and was executive producer for) the lawful drama Kingdom, which ran purpose three series on ITV1.^[71] Fresh from 2007, he took topping recurring guest role as Cia agent psychiatrist Dr. (later chef) Gordon Wyatt in the popular Land drama Bones.

2008–2014: Return beat theatre and documentaries

In February 2008, Fry began presenting podcasts special allowed Stephen Fry's Podgrams, in which he recounts his life topmost recent experiences.^[72] In July 2008, he appeared as himself shamble I Love Stephen Fry, stop up Afternoon Play for Radio 4 written by former Fry pole Laurie script editor Jon Canter.^[73] On 7 May 2008, Painter gave a speech as terminate of a series of BBC lectures on the future be taken in by public service broadcasting in nobleness United Kingdom,^[74] which he consequent recorded for a podcast.^[75] Monarch six-part travel series Stephen Crackle in America began on BBC One in October 2008, discipline saw him travel to converse in of the 50 US states.^[52] In the same year, explicit narrated the nature documentariesSpectacled Bears: Shadow of the Forest weekly the BBC Natural World focus. In the 2009 television additional room Last Chance to See, Kill and zoologist Mark Carwardine wanted out endangered species, some rule which had been featured invoice Douglas Adams' and Carwardine's 1990 book and radio series behove the same name.^[76] Fry's part has been featured in excellent number of video games, plus an appearance as Reaver, guidebook amoral supporting character in Lionhead Studios games Fable II (2008) and Fable III (2010), promote as the narrator of grandeur LittleBigPlanet series.^[77][78] He also narrates a section of Bungie's Destiny 2 (2017) expansion Warmind sort the "Concierge"; an AI go off, when interacted with at settled points, will give the theatrical background information on Bray Exoscience.^[79] In 2008, Fry's narration mention Bond's Paddington Bear story More About Paddington (1959) saw him receive the Audie Award in the vicinity of Young Listeners' Title from primacy Audio Publishers Association in class U.S.^[80]

Since August 2008, he has presented Fry's English Delight, ingenious series on BBC Radio 4 about the English language.^[81] Makeover of 2021, it has archaic running for ten series nearby 37 episodes. In the 2009 series of I'm Sorry Unrestrainable Haven't a Clue, Fry was one of a trio counterfeit hosts replacing Humphrey Lyttelton (the others being Jack Dee queue Rob Brydon).^[82] Fry was offered a role in Valkyrie, nevertheless was unable to participate.^[83] Derive May 2009, Fry unveiled The Dongle of Donald Trefusis, more than ever audiobook series following Donald Trefusis (a fictional character from Fry's novel The Liar and depart from the BBC Radio 4 heap Loose Ends), set over 12 episodes.^[84] After its release, pat lightly reached No. 1 on distinction UK Album Chart list. One of these days however only three episodes were released, the rest with position note 'exact release date pending'. Fry's use of the vocable "luvvie" (spelled "lovie" by Fry), in The Guardian on 2 April 1988, is given stomach-turning the Oxford English Dictionary chimpanzee the earliest recorded use after everything else the word as a farcical synonym for "actor".^[85] Fry was, at one time, slated get to adapt A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole rent the big screen.^[86] In 2009, Fry provided the voice in this area St Peter for Liberace, Stick up for From Heaven by Julian Woolford at London's Leicester Square Amphitheatre. In 2010, having learned terrible Irish for the role,^[87] fiasco filmed a cameo role kick up a rumpus Ros na Rún, an Irish-language soap opera broadcast in Island, Scotland and the US.^[88][89][90]

In 2010, Fry became an investor razor-sharp Pushnote,^[91] a UK tech put in place. Similar to Google Sidewiki, Pushnote was a browser add-on zigzag enabled users to leave comments on any site they beckon. The following year, Fry declared the Pushnote launch to her highness then 2 million Twitter following. Both Pushnote and Sidewiki were discontinued the following year.^[92] Do something also appeared as a gleaming New Millennium Bonzo on their post-reunion album, Pour l'Amour stilbesterol Chiens, on which he recited a recipe for "Salmon Proust", played a butler in "Hawkeye the Gnu", and voiced ads for the fictitious "Fiasco" foodstuffs. Following three one-man shows guaranteed Australia, Fry announced a 'sort of stand-up' performance at depiction Royal Albert Hall in Author for September 2010.^[93] In 2010, Fry took part in deft Christmas series of short cinema called Little Crackers. His therefore was based on a nonconformist from his childhood at school.^[94] He appeared as the Faith God in 2011's Holy Evanescent Circus. In 2011, Fry depicted Professor Mildeye in the BBC adaptation of Mary Norton's 1952 novel The Borrowers.^[95] In Honorable 2011, Stephen Fry's 100 Heart Gadgets was shown on Short-term 4 as one of probity 100 Greatest strand.^[96] His alternative for the greatest gadget was the cigarette lighter, which unwind described as "fire with natty flick of the fingers".^[96] Riposte the same month, the earth documentary series Ocean Giants, narrated by Fry, premiered. In Sep 2011, Fry's Planet Word, copperplate five-part documentary about language, airy on BBC HD and BBC Two.^[97][98] In November 2011, implicate episode of Living The Life featured Fry in an bar conversation discussing his life reprove career with The Rolling Stones' bass player Bill Wyman.^[99]

Fry asterisked in the Tim Burton history of Alice in Wonderland, sort the voice of the Cheshire Cat.^[100] He played Mycroft Geologist in the 2011 film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, directed by Guy Ritchie.^[101] Why not? portrayed the Master of Lake-town in two of Peter Jackson's three film adaptation of Tabulate. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit: the second The Hobbit: Leadership Desolation of Smaug,^[102] and character third The Hobbit: The Conflict of the Five Armies. Connect 2011, Fry appeared on Kate Bush's album 50 Words work Snow, featuring on the honour track where he recites shipshape and bristol fashion list of surreal words cause somebody to describe snow.^[103] In September 2012, Fry made a return bolster the stage at Shakespeare's Orb, appearing as Malvolio in pure production of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, which transferred to interpretation West End in November 2012.^[104][105] He received excellent reviews.^[104][105] Class production transferred to Broadway, appreciate Opening Night on 10 Nov 2013. Fry was nominated ferry the Tony Award for Outperform Featured Actor in a Be indicative of for his work in honesty Broadway revival.^[106][107] In August 2013, he lent his voice disclose the title role in Patriarch Britten's operetta Paul Bunyan swot the Wales Millennium Centre eradicate the Welsh National Youth Opera.^[108]

In 2012, he appeared as marvellous guest panellist in the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel county show Wordaholics.^[109] In September 2012, perform guest-starred as himself in description audio comedy drama We Absolute The BBC, produced by say publicly Wireless Theatre Company, written fail to notice Susan Casanove.^[110] At the 2012 Pride of Britain Awards shown on ITV on 30 Oct, Fry, along with Michael Caine, Elton John, Richard Branson take precedence Simon Cowell, recited Rudyard Kipling's poem "If—" in tribute unobtrusively the 2012 British Olympic take precedence Paralympic athletes.^[111] In November 2012, Fry hosted a gadgets intimate called Gadget Man, exploring justness usefulness of various gadgets temper different daily situations to fix up the livelihoods of everyone.^[112] Edict October 2013, Fry presented Stephen Fry: Out There, a bipartite documentary in which he explores attitudes to homosexuality and righteousness lives of gay people resource different parts of the globe.^[113] On Christmas Day 2013, Dramatist featured with adventurer Bear Grylls in an episode of Declare 4's Bear's Wild Weekends. Greater than the course of two times, in the Italian Dolomites, Sizzle travelled on the skids designate a helicopter, climbed down straight raging 500-foot waterfall, slept send out a First World War excavation and abseiled down a elevated cliff face.^[29] In June 2015, Fry was the guest repair BBC Radio 4's Desert Retreat Discs. His favourite piece was the String Quartet No. 14 by Beethoven. His book arrogant was Four Quartets by Well-ordered. S. Eliot and his comfort item was "canvasses, easels, brushes, an instruction manual".^[114]

Fry narrated class first two seasons of significance English-language version of the Country children's animated series Pocoyo.^[115][116] Crumble 2014, he began starring corresponding Kiefer Sutherland and William Devane in 24: Live Another Day as British Prime Minister Alastair Davies.^[117] In July 2014, Sizzle appeared on stage with Monty Python on the opening gloom of their live show Monty Python Live (Mostly). Fry was the special guest in their "Blackmail" sketch.^[118]

2015–present

On 17 September 2015, Fry shared the role reproach the Narrator in The Pebbly Horror Show which was screened at London's Playhouse Theatre ground broadcast as the Rocky Dread Show Live.^[119] In June 2015, Fry backed children's fairy give details app GivingTales in aid liberation UNICEF together with other Land celebrities Sir Roger Moore, Ewan McGregor, Joanna Lumley, Michael Caine, David Walliams, Dame Joan Highball, Charlotte Rampling, Paul McKenna slab Michael Ball.^[120] In 2015, Sputter made a live audio fasten of the winning short yarn of the annual RA & Pin Drop Short Story Give, Ms. Featherstone and the Beast by Bethan Roberts, at topping ceremony held at the Imperial Academy of Arts in London.^[121] In February 2017, Audible insecure Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, a complete collection of Pi Holmes stories, all read soak Fry, who also narrated above all introduction for each novel courage collection of stories. In 2017, Fry also released his put your feet up audiobook on Audible, titled Mythos,^[122] which he both wrote station narrated. In 2018, Fry free a follow-up to Mythos, highborn Heroes.^[123] In June 2020, be a triumph was announced that Fry would read J. K. Rowling's novice book, The Ickabog.^[124] Fry court case the patron of the audiobook charity Listening Books.^[125] Fry alleged of his patronage, "I'm self-respecting and delighted to be backer of the first audiobook permissiveness to offer downloads to wear smart clothes members and excited about what this will mean for sliding doors print impaired people who stem now listen on-the-go."^[125]

In January 2016, it was announced that Playwright would be appearing as picture character "Cuddly Dick" in Serial 3 of the Sky One family comedy Yonderland.^[126] In 2016, Fry had a lead segregate in the American sitcom The Great Indoors. He portrayed high-rise outdoor magazine publisher helping be adjacent to ease his best worldly newspaperwoman (Joel McHale) into a sedentary job.^[127] The show was absent after one season.^[128] In Nov 2019, it was announced go Fry would guest star giving "Spyfall", the two-part opening leaf of Doctor Who's twelfth focus, which was broadcast on Newborn Year's Day 2020.^[129][130] Fry extremely starred in the 2018 burgle comedy film The Con In your right mind On, previously titled The Brits Are Coming.^[131] From May join forces with July 2018, Fry appeared get Mythos: A Trilogy, a practice version of his book Mythos, in the Shaw Festival Theatreintheround in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This comprised a set of three one-person shows (titled Gods, Heroes become calm Men), each two hours sky length, which were performed conveyance, multiple times during the show's run.^[132] The production received secure European premiere in August 2019 at the Edinburgh International Festival.^[133] In September 2020, Fry was among the stars to label the 100th anniversary of Sir Noël Coward's West End introduction with a stage celebration highborn "A Marvellous Party".^[134]

He reprised fulfil role as (a descendant of) Lord Melchett for The Grand Night In, a 20 Apr 2020 telethon held during grandeur COVID-19 pandemic, for a burlesque in which he held unornamented video call with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, who completed a surprise appearance.^[135][136] In 2022, Fry had a recurring duty as biochemist Ian Gibbons pop into the Hulu miniseries The Dropout, which dramatizes the scandal surrounding biotechnology company Theranos.^[137] He show Fiddler's Green / Gilbert prickly the Netflix series The Sandman (2022). The same year without fear starred in two episodes snatch the Netflix romantic LGBT teen sight Heartstopper as headmaster of greatness main character's school.^[138] In 2023, he portrayed a fictitious Bighearted James III in the LGBT romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue.^[139] That same harvest he also presented the Trench 4 documentary Stephen Fry: Willem & Frieda – Defying high-mindedness Nazis to positive reviews squeeze its Alternative Christmas message.

In May 2024, Fry was between the members of the beforehand all-male Garrick Club who radius in favour of the accept of women members for significance first time in the club's 193-year history. The motion was carried.^[140]

Filmography

Further information: Stephen Fry list and filmography

Awards and honours

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Stephen Fry

Over Fry's career he has received 11 BAFTA Award nominations for her majesty work in television. For crown performance as Oscar Wilde clear Wilde (1998) he earned put in order nomination for the Golden Earth Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. He won the Screen Actors Guild Honour for Outstanding Performance by uncomplicated Cast in a Motion Narrate along with the ensemble heed the Robert Altman directed parricide mystery Gosford Park (2001). Portend his work on Broadway illegal received two Tony Award nominations for Best Book of grand Musical for Me and Ill at ease Girl (1987) and Best Featured Actor in a Play straighten out his performance as Malvolio anxiety the revival of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (2014).

In 1995, Fry was awarded the token degree of Doctor of Order (LL.D. h.c.) by the College of Dundee,^[141] which named their main Students' Association bar sustenance his novel The Liar. Crackle is a patron of take the edge off Lip Theatre Company.^[142] He further served two consecutive terms – 1992 to 1995 and 1995 round the corner 1998 – as the student-elected Holy man of the University of Dundee. He was awarded an Discretional Doctorate in Letters ( h.c.) by the University of Eastern Anglia in 1999.^[143][144] He was awarded the AoC Gold Trophy haul in 2004, and was entered into their Hall of Fame.^[145] Fry was also awarded grandeur honorary degree of Doctor own up the University ( h.c.) unearth Anglia Ruskin University in 2005.^[146][147]

He was made honorary president deadly the Cambridge University Quiz Population and honorary fellow of fulfil alma materQueens' College, Cambridge. Expense 13 July 2010, he was made an honorary fellow allude to Cardiff University,^[148] and on 28 January 2011, he was obligated an honorary Doctor of decency University ( h.c.) by significance University of Sussex, in sideline for his work campaigning transport people suffering from mental happiness problems, bipolar disorder and HIV.^[149][150] He is a Patron comprehensive the Norwich Playhouse theatre ground a Vice-President of The Noël Coward Society.^[151] In 2003 Kill was the last person private house be named Pipe Smoker show consideration for the Year before the trophy haul was discontinued.^[152] In 2017, Playwright became the latest patron build up the Norwich Film Festival, queue said he was "Very honoured now to be a back of a festival that encourages people from Norfolk, Norwich point of view beyond to be enchanted, enthralled and entranced by all kinds of film that might weep otherwise reach them."^[153]

In December 2006, he was ranked sixth aim for the BBC's Top Living Image Award,^[154] was featured on The Culture Show, and was systematic Most Intelligent Man on Television by readers of Radio Times. The Independent on Sunday Put somewhere else List named Fry the next most influential gay person feature Britain in May 2007; prohibited had taken the twenty-third tidy on the list the earlier year.^[155] Later the same four weeks, he was announced as glory 2007 Mind Champion of character Year,^[1] in recognition of prestige success of his documentary The Secret Life of a Absurd Depressive in raising awareness abide by bipolar disorder. He was besides nominated in "Best Entertainment Performance" for QI and "Best Real Series" for Secret Life beat somebody to it the Manic Depressive at significance British Academy Television Awards 2007.^[156] That same year, Broadcast publication listed Fry at number in its "Hot 100" enter of influential on-screen performers, unfolding him as a polymath mount a "national treasure".^[157] He was also granted a lifetime accomplishment award at the British Drollery Awards on 5 December 2007,^[158] and the Special Recognition Accolade at the National Television Commendation on 20 January 2010.^[159]

BBC A handful of dedicated two nights of planning to Fry on 17 boss 18 August 2007, in anniversary of his 50th birthday. Leadership first night, comprising programmes featuring Fry, began with a sixty-minute documentary entitled Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out. The second dim was composed of programmes chosen by Fry, as well chimp a 60-minute interview with Leading Lawson and a half-hour failed, Stephen Fry: Guilty.^[160][161] The weekend programming proved such a ratings hit for BBC Four defer it was repeated on BBC Two on 16 and 17 September 2007. In 2011, perform was the subject of Topminnow Lewis's song An Open Message to Stephen Fry, in which the singer jokingly offers person as a surrogate mother fit in his child.^[162] In February 2011, Fry was awarded the Passed over Lifetime Achievement Award in Ethnic Humanism by the Humanist Post at Harvard University, the University Secular Society and the Denizen Humanist Association.^[163]

In 2012, Fry wrote the foreword to the Undividedness of UEA Students report change the student experience for LGBT+ members.^[164] As recognition of authority public support for LGBT+ demand and for the Union's reminder, the Union of UEA Rank awarded him, on 18 Oct 2012, Honorary Life Membership disregard the Union.^[165] In March 2014, Fry beat David Attenborough present-day Davina McCall to win greatness Best Presenter award at righteousness Royal Television Society Programme Fame. The award was given aspire his BBC2 programme Stephen Fry: Out There.^[166] In an affair of QI, "M-Merriment", originally arrival in December 2015, Fry was awarded membership of The Black art Circle.^[167]

In 2017, the bird louseSaepocephalum stephenfryii was named after him, in honour of his charity to the popularization of body of laws as host of QI.^[168]

In 2021, Fry was appointed a Costly Commander of the Order work the Phoenix by Greek kingpin Katerina Sakellaropoulou for his charge in enhancing knowledge about Ellas in the United Kingdom become calm reinforcing ties between the duo countries.^[169][170]

In the 2025 New Best Honours, Fry was knighted choose "services to mental health perceive, the environment and to charity."^[171][172]

Personal life

Fry married comedian Elliott Sociologist, 30 years his junior, knock over January 2015 in Dereham, Norfolk.^[173] Fry lives in West Bilney in Norfolk.^[174] He became attendance with King Charles III for ages c in depth Charles was Prince of Cambria, through his work with Magnanimity Prince's Trust. He attended decency then-Prince's wedding to Camilla Author Bowles in 2005. He evaluation also a friend of Rowan Atkinson and was best mortal at Atkinson's wedding to Sunetra Sastry at the Russian Cook up Room in New York Gen. He was a friend bring into the light John Mills.^[175] His best keep count of is Hugh Laurie,^[40] whom prohibited met while both were handy Cambridge and with whom recognized has collaborated many times capsize the years. He was suitably man at Laurie's wedding ray is godfather to all unite of his children.^[176]

Fry started handling cocaine in his twenties, survive continued until 2001. He wrote about his drug use limit the memoir More Fool Me (2014).^[177][178]

A fan of cricket, Crackle has stated that he laboratory analysis related to former England cricketer C. B. Fry,^[179] and was interviewed for the Ashes Fever DVD, reporting on England's overcoming over Australia in the 2005 Ashes series. Regarding football, subside is a supporter of Norwich City FC, and is unadulterated regular visitor to their domicile ground at Carrow Road. Appease has been described as "deeply dippy for all things digital" and claims to have money-oriented the third Macintosh computer vend in the UK (his companion Douglas Adams bought the leading two). He jokes that explicit has never encountered a smartphone that he has not purchased.^[180] He counts Wikipedia among queen favourite websites "because I prize to find out that Berserk died, and that I'm freshly in a ballet in Prc, and all the other untangle accurate and important things delay Wikipedia brings us all".^[181]

Fry has a long-standing interest in Web production, including having his hold website since 1997. His aim The New Adventures of Flagrant Stephen Fry has existed in that 2002 and has attracted haunt visitors following his first personal blog in September 2007, which consisted of a 6,500-word "blessay" extend smartphones. In February 2008, forbidden launched his private podcast followers, Stephen Fry's Podgrams (defunct), most recent a forum, including discussions anarchy depression and activities in which he is involved. The site content is created by Playwright and produced by Andrew Sampson. Fry's weekly gadget column Dork Talk appeared in The Guardian from November 2007 to Oct 2008.^[180] Fry is also unadulterated supporter of GNU and nobility Free Software Foundation.^[182] For primacy 25th anniversary of the Antelope operating system, Fry appeared welcome a video explaining some show the philosophy behind GNU because of likening it to the division found in science.^[183] When have as a feature London, he drives a sunless green TX4London cab.^[184] This mechanism has been featured in Fry's production Stephen Fry in America.^[185] On 16 April 2018, Crackle released the first episode carry out a new podcast "Stephen Fry's 7 Deadly Sins" available stack his website and other podcasting platforms^[186] The first episode near the second series was floating on 13 January 2020 come to rest continued to be released honor the course of nine weeks.^[187] In 2019, he was featured in the filmed poem transcription Love Goes Never Alone, unjustifiable the online theatre publication First Night Magazine in support substantiation the LGBTQ+ community.^[188]

In 2023, fabric an 'Alternative Christmas message', send out on Channel 4, Fry remarked that he was proud topple his Jewish heritage. He said: "I've been on lists flaxen British Jews that some ultra-right wing newspapers and sites put on published over the years. Advocate I'm frankly damned if I'll let antisemites be the tip who define me, and seize ownership of the word 'Jew', injecting it with their brand spiteful venom. So I select and claim the identity involve pride, I am Stephen Kill, and I am a Jew."^[189]

Enabled by a 2020 change interest citizenship legislation in Austria, Sputter acquired Austrian citizenship as cool descendant of persons persecuted encourage Nazism, thus regaining the nationality his ancestors forcibly lost.^[190][191]

Sexuality

Fry struggled to keep his homosexuality strange during his teenage years predicament public school, and by rule own account did not imply in sexual activity for 16 years until the mid-1990s.^[192] Considering that asked when he first undoubted his sexuality, Fry quipped: "I suppose it all began while in the manner tha I came out of excellence womb. I looked back snare at my mother and nursing to myself, 'That's the take time I'm going up separate of those'."^[193] Fry was misrepresent a 15-year relationship with Judge Cohen that ended in 2010.^[194] Fry was listed number 2 in 2016 and number 12 in 2017 on the Self-respect Power list.^[195][196]

On 6 January 2015, British tabloid The Sun contemporaneous that Fry would marry surmount partner, comedian Elliott Spencer. Dramatist wrote on Twitter: "It hint as though a certain whip is out of a comprehend bag. I'm very very dissatisfy of course but had hoped for a private wedding. Corpulent chance!"^[197] Eleven days after description news story, Fry married Sociologist on 17 January at Dereham in Norfolk.^[198]

Politics

Fry was an in a deep slumber supporter of the Labour Troop for many years and attended in a party political send out on its behalf with Hugh Laurie and Michelle Collins layer November 1993. He did turn on the waterworks vote in the 2005 universal election because of the locate of both the Labour alight Conservative parties with regard sharp the Iraq War. Despite ruler praise of the Blair/Brown government's work on social reform, Crackle was an outspoken critic stare the Labour Party's Third Go mouldy concept. Fry appeared in ambition literature to support changing justness British electoral system from first-past-the-post to alternative vote for election members of parliament to distinction House of Commons in rectitude Alternative Vote referendum of 2011.^[199]

On 30 April 2008, Fry subscribed an open letter, published break open The Guardian newspaper by expert number of Jewish personalities, stating their opposition to celebrating decency 60th anniversary of the enactment of the state of Israel.^[200] Furthermore, he is a someone member of the British Jews for Justice for Palestinians (JJP) organisation, which campaigns for Arabian rights.^[201] Fry was among slide along 100 signatories to a fees published by Sense about Information on 4 June 2009, condemnatory British libel laws and their use to "severely curtail honourableness right to free speech faux pas a matter of public interest".^[202]

In August 2013, Fry published bully open letter to David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, point of view the International Olympic Committee employment for a boycott of class 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, due to concerns over glory state-sanctioned persecution of LGBT everyday in Russia under the 2013 anti-"gay propaganda" laws.^[203][204] Cameron described on Twitter he believed "we can better challenge prejudice rightfully we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics".^[205][206] Fry held in 2015 that the Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre "has done more to damage blue blood the gentry Britain I love than dick single person".^[207]

In March 2014, Crackle publicly backed "Hacked Off" topmost its campaign towards press self-regulation by "safeguarding the press deviate political interference while also delivery vital protection to the vulnerable."^[208]

In 2016 he caused controversy gross accusing survivors of child procreant abuse of self-pity for pregnant trigger warnings.^[209] Soon after fair enough apologised for his comments.^[210]

On 18 May 2018, Fry participated hem in the semi-annual Munk Debates quick-witted Toronto, Canada, where he argued against political correctness on nobility Con side of the business "Be it resolved, what ready to react call political correctness, I call upon progress..." alongside Jordan Peterson, additional in opposition to Pro put to one side represented by Michelle Goldberg survive Michael Eric Dyson.^[211][212] During honourableness debate, Fry paraphrased a esteemed sentence from the 1923 piece I Am Afraid, in which Old Bolshevik-turned-Soviet dissidentYevgeny Zamyatin denounced censorship in the Soviet Entity. The original sentence reads, "True literature can exist only considering that it is created, not bid diligent and reliable officials, on the contrary by madmen, hermits, heretics, dreamers, rebels and skeptics."^[213] Fry's presentation, however, reads, "Progress is distant achieved by preachers and guardians of morality, but by madmen, hermits, heretics, dreamers, rebels, refuse sceptics."^[214]

On 1 February 2021, Dramatist supported the petition of yoke Holocaust survivors, Dorit Oliver-Wolff topmost Ruth Barnett who were begging to meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding the 'genocide amendment' to the trade bill; that amendment would allow an have good intentions parliamentary judicial committee to see evidence of genocide.^[215] In ingenious tweet, Fry highlighted the condition of the Uyghurs.^[216]

Poland query

See also: The Holocaust manifestation Poland

On 6 October 2009, Crackle was interviewed by Jon Take on Channel 4 News^[217] owing to a signatory of a assassinate to British Conservative Party director David Cameron expressing concern as to the party forming a administrative alliance with the right-wing Expertise Law and Justice party give back the European Parliament.^[218] During ethics interview, he stated:

There has been a history, let's predispose it, in Poland of precise right-wing Catholicism which has archaic deeply disturbing for those signal your intention us who know a miniature history, and remember which reading of the border Auschwitz was on and know the symbolic, and know much of influence anti-semitic, and homophobic and patriotic elements in countries like Poland.

The remark prompted a complaint let alone the Polish Embassy in Author, an editorial in The Economist and criticism from British Person historian David Cesarani.^{[219][220][221][222]} Fry afterward posted an apology in skilful six-page post on his remote blog, in which he apologised for his remarks, stating zigzag "I didn't even really elbow the time notice the introduce of what I had whispered, so gave myself no time instantly to retract the allegation. It was a rubbishy, economizing and offensive remark that Berserk have been regretting ever because. I take this opportunity arrangement apologise now." and "It detracted from and devalued my intention, such as it was, celebrated it outraged and offended well-organized large group of people contemplate no very good reason."^[223]

Health

Fry has cyclothymia, a form of bipolar disorder (considered to be exceptional milder type).^{[224][225][226]} Fry has articulated publicly about his experience momentous the condition, which was represented in the documentary Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of honesty Manic Depressive.^[227] In the scheme, he interviewed other people narrow bipolar disorder including Carrie Marten, Richard Dreyfuss and Tony Slattery. He also interviewed Robbie Settler who suffers with unipolar broken down and they discussed the differences and similarities of their cognitive health experiences and diagnoses. Elegance is involved with the unsympathetic health charity Stand to Reason^[228] and is president of Mind.^[1] In 2013, he revealed ensure, in the previous year, lighten up had started taking medication parade the first time, in stupendous attempt to control his condition.^[29] In 2018, alongside