Career Timeline of Stephen Fry: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Stephen Fry, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Sir Stephen Fry is a multifaceted English personality, notable as an actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator, and writer. He gained recognition through the comedy duo Fry and Laurie, starring in shows like 'A Bit of Fry & Laurie' and 'Jeeves and Wooster.' He also appeared in 'Alfresco' and 'Blackadder.' Beyond entertainment, Fry is actively involved in mental health advocacy, serving as president of Mind since 2011. His contributions to mental health awareness, environmental causes, and charity were recognized with a knighthood in 2025.
1987: Tony Award Nomination for Me and My Girl
In 1987, Stephen Fry received a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical for Me and My Girl.
April 1988: Earliest Recorded Use of "luvvie"
Fry's use of the word "luvvie" in The Guardian on 2 April 1988, is given by the Oxford English Dictionary as the earliest recorded use of the word as a humorous synonym for "actor".
November 1993: Appearance in Labour Party political broadcast
In November 1993, Stephen Fry appeared in a Labour Party political broadcast with Hugh Laurie and Michelle Collins.
1994: Played James Moreland in I.Q.
In 1994, Fry played the role of James Moreland in the romantic comedy film I.Q.
1995: Left Cell Mates Play
In 1995, Fry was cast in a lead role in Simon Gray's play Cell Mates, but he left three days into the West End run, citing stage fright as the reason.
1995: Nervous breakdown and walkout from Cell Mates
In 1995, Stephen Fry had a nervous breakdown and walked out of the West End play Cell Mates, causing its early closure and incurring the displeasure of co-star Rik Mayall and playwright Simon Gray.
1997: Played Oscar Wilde in Wilde
In 1997, Fry portrayed his idol Oscar Wilde in the film Wilde, earning critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Drama.
1997: Publication of Moab Is My Washpot
In 1997, Stephen Fry's autobiography titled Moab Is My Washpot was published.
1998: Acted in In the Red
In 1998, Fry acted in a Malcolm Bradbury adaptation of Mark Tavener's novel 'In the Red', playing the role of the Controller of BBC Radio 2.
1998: Golden Globe Nomination for Wilde
In 1998, Stephen Fry earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his performance as Oscar Wilde in Wilde.
2000: Starred in Absolute Power
In 2000, Fry began starring as Charles Prentiss in the Radio 4 comedy Absolute Power, reprising the role for three further series on radio and two on television.
2000: Acted in Gormenghast
In 2000, Fry played Professor Bellgrove in the BBC serial Gormenghast, which was adapted from the first two novels of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast series.
2001: Began Hosting BAFTA Film Awards
In 2001, Fry began hosting the BAFTA Film Awards, a role from which he stepped down in 2006.
2001: Starred in Gosford Park and The Discovery of Heaven
In 2001, Fry played a detective in Robert Altman's period costume drama, Gosford Park, and also appeared in the Dutch film The Discovery of Heaven, directed by Jeroen Krabbé and based on the novel by Harry Mulisch.
2001: Screen Actors Guild Award for Gosford Park
In 2001, Stephen Fry won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture along with the ensemble of the Robert Altman directed murder mystery Gosford Park.
2002: Voiced Winnie-the-Pooh and Minister of Chance
In 2002, Fry voiced Winnie-the-Pooh in A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner and played The Minister of Chance in the Doctor Who audio drama Death Comes to Time.
2002: The New Adventures of Mr Stephen Fry website
In 2002, Stephen Fry's website 'The New Adventures of Mr Stephen Fry' was launched.
2003: Began Hosting QI
In 2003, Fry began hosting QI (Quite Interesting), a comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, featuring Alan Davies as a permanent panellist.
2003: Starred in Absolute Power and Directed Bright Young Things
In 2003, Fry starred in the television adaptation of Absolute Power and made his directorial début with Bright Young Things, adapted from Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies.
2004: Narrated Vanity Fair on BBC Radio 4
In 2004, Fry narrated an adaptation of Vanity Fair on BBC Radio 4.
2005: Interviewed J.K. Rowling and Read Harry Potter Audiobooks
In 2005, Fry discussed his project of reading the British versions of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of audiobooks in an interview with Rowling.
2005: Narrated Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Appeared in Various Films
In 2005, Fry narrated the film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and appeared in A Cock and Bull Story and V for Vendetta.
2005: Patron of Listening Books
Since 2005, Fry has been the patron of UK audiobook charity Listening Books.
2006: Played Smithers in Stormbreaker and Narrated The Story of Light Entertainment
In 2006, Fry played gadget-master Smithers in Stormbreaker and narrated The Story of Light Entertainment, which was shown from July–September.
2006: Won Rose d'Or Award for QI
In 2006, Fry won the Rose d'Or award for "Best Game Show Host" for his work on the television series QI.
2006: Starred in The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive and Who Do You Think You Are?
In 2006, Fry's documentary Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive won an Emmy Award, and he appeared on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, tracing his maternal family tree.
2006: President of the Great Fen Project
Since 2006, Fry has been the president of the Great Fen Project, supporting nature and wildlife conservation.
August 2007: BBC Four Stephen Fry Programming
In August 2007, BBC Four dedicated two nights of programming to Stephen Fry in celebration of his 50th birthday, including the documentary Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out.
September 2007: First blog on smartphones
In September 2007, Stephen Fry started his first blog, featuring a 6,500-word "blessay" on smartphones.
September 2007: BBC Two Repeat of Stephen Fry Programming
In September 2007, the weekend programming dedicated to Stephen Fry on BBC Four was repeated on BBC Two.
November 2007: Dork Talk column in The Guardian
In November 2007, Stephen Fry's weekly gadget column, Dork Talk, began appearing in The Guardian.
December 2007: Lifetime Achievement Award at British Comedy Awards
On 5 December 2007, Stephen Fry was granted a lifetime achievement award at the British Comedy Awards.
2007: Starred in Kingdom and Bones
From 2007, Fry played the lead role in the legal drama Kingdom and took a recurring guest role as FBI psychiatrist Dr. Gordon Wyatt in the American drama Bones.
2007: Wrote Cinderella and Appeared in St Trinian's and Eichmann
In 2007, Fry wrote a Christmas pantomime, Cinderella, and appeared in St Trinian's and Eichmann. He also presented a documentary on HIV and AIDS, HIV and Me.
February 2008: Began Presenting Stephen Fry's Podgrams
In February 2008, Fry began presenting podcasts entitled Stephen Fry's Podgrams, in which he recounts his life and recent experiences.
February 2008: Launch of Stephen Fry's Podgrams
In February 2008, Stephen Fry launched his private podcast series, Stephen Fry's Podgrams, and a forum that included discussions on depression and his activities.
April 2008: Opposition to celebrating the 60th anniversary of Israel
On 30 April 2008, Stephen Fry signed an open letter opposing the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel.
May 2008: Gave BBC Lecture on Public Service Broadcasting
On 7 May 2008, Fry gave a speech as part of a series of BBC lectures on the future of public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, which he later recorded for a podcast.
July 2008: Appeared in I Love Stephen Fry
In July 2008, Fry appeared as himself in I Love Stephen Fry, an Afternoon Play for Radio 4 written by Jon Canter.
August 2008: Began Presenting Fry's English Delight
Since August 2008, Fry has presented Fry's English Delight, a series on BBC Radio 4 about the English language.
October 2008: Stephen Fry in America Series Premiered
In October 2008, Fry's six-part travel series Stephen Fry in America began on BBC One, showcasing his travels to each of the 50 US states.
October 2008: End of Dork Talk column in The Guardian
In October 2008, Stephen Fry's weekly gadget column Dork Talk in The Guardian ended.
2008: GNU Project Film Appearance
In 2008, Fry appeared in a film by the Free Software Foundation celebrating the GNU Project's 25th anniversary, explaining software freedom principles.
2008: Formation of SamFry Ltd
In 2008, Fry formed SamFry Ltd with Andrew Sampson to produce and fund new material and manage his website.
2008: Voiced Reaver in Fable II and Narrated More About Paddington
In 2008, Fry voiced Reaver in the video game Fable II and his narration for More About Paddington won the Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title.
May 2009: Unveiled The Dongle of Donald Trefusis
In May 2009, Fry unveiled The Dongle of Donald Trefusis, an audiobook series, which reached No. 1 on the UK Album Chart list after its release.
June 2009: Condemnation of British libel laws
On 4 June 2009, Stephen Fry was among over 100 signatories to a statement condemning British libel laws and their use to curtail free speech.
November 2009: One Million Twitter Followers
In November 2009, Stephen Fry's Twitter account reached one million followers, which he commemorated with a humorous video blog.
2009: Starred in Last Chance to See
In 2009, Fry and zoologist Mark Carwardine sought out endangered species in the television series Last Chance to See.
2009: Continued Roles in Kingdom and Bones
In 2009, Fry continued his lead role in Kingdom, which ran for its third series, and continued his recurring guest role in Bones.
2009: Letter to younger self and Intelligence Squared debate
In 2009, The Guardian published a letter from Stephen Fry addressing his younger self. Later that year, he and Christopher Hitchens participated in an "Intelligence Squared" debate against Ann Widdecombe and Archbishop John Onaiyekan about the Catholic Church.
2009: Vice-President of Fauna and Flora International
Since 2009, Fry has been the vice-president of Fauna and Flora International, an international NGO.
January 2010: Special Recognition Award at National Television Awards
On 20 January 2010, Stephen Fry received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards.
August 2010: Norwich City Board of Directors
In August 2010, Fry joined the board of directors at Norwich City Football Club, expressing immense pride and excitement.
September 2010: Announced 'Sort of Stand-up' Performance at Royal Albert Hall
Following three one-man shows in Australia, Fry announced a 'sort of stand-up' performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London for September 2010.
November 2010: Two Million Twitter Followers
In November 2010, Fry celebrated reaching two million followers on Twitter with a blog entry detailing his experiences and opinions on the platform.
2010: Voiced Reaver in Fable III
In 2010, Fry continued to voice Reaver in the Lionhead Studios game Fable III.
2010: Filmed Cameo in Ros na Rún
In 2010, Fry filmed a cameo role in Ros na Rún, an Irish-language soap opera broadcast in Ireland, Scotland and the US, after learning some Irish for the role.
2010: Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association
In 2010, Stephen Fry was made a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association and joined 54 other public figures in signing an open letter opposing Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom being a state visit.
January 2011: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sussex
On 28 January 2011, Stephen Fry was made an honorary Doctor of the University (D.Univ. h.c.) by the University of Sussex, in recognition for his work campaigning for people suffering from mental health problems, bipolar disorder and HIV.
August 2011: Stephen Fry's 100 Greatest Gadgets Aired on Channel 4
In August 2011, Stephen Fry's 100 Greatest Gadgets was shown on Channel 4, with Fry choosing the cigarette lighter as the greatest gadget.
September 2011: Fry's Planet Word Aired on BBC HD and BBC Two
In September 2011, Fry's Planet Word, a five-part documentary about language, aired on BBC HD and BBC Two.
November 2011: Featured on Living The Life
In November 2011, an episode of Living The Life featured Fry in an intimate conversation discussing his life and career with The Rolling Stones' bass player Bill Wyman.
2011: Voiced Cheshire Cat, Played Mycroft Holmes, and Featured on Kate Bush's Album
In 2011, Fry voiced the Cheshire Cat in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, played Mycroft Holmes in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and appeared on Kate Bush's album 50 Words for Snow, reciting a list of surreal words on the title track.
2011: Support for Alternative Vote referendum
In 2011, Stephen Fry appeared in campaign literature to support changing the British electoral system to alternative vote.
March 2012: Four Million Twitter Followers
On March 11, 2012, Stephen Fry announced that he had surpassed four million followers on Twitter and dedicated the day to Douglas Adams's diamond jubilee.
September 2012: Guest Starred in We Are The BBC
In September 2012, Fry guest-starred as himself in the audio comedy drama We Are The BBC, produced by the Wireless Theatre Company, written by Susan Casanove.
September 2012: Returned to Stage in Twelfth Night
In September 2012, Fry returned to the stage at Shakespeare's Globe, appearing as Malvolio in a production of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
October 2012: Honorary Life Membership of the Union of UEA Students
On 18 October 2012, Stephen Fry was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Union of UEA Students in recognition of his public support for LGBT+ rights.
November 2012: Hosted Gadget Man
In November 2012, Fry hosted a gadgets show called Gadget Man, exploring the usefulness of various gadgets.
November 2012: Twelfth Night Transferred to West End
In November 2012, the production of Twelfth Night, in which Fry played Malvolio, transferred to the West End.
August 2013: Lent Voice to Paul Bunyan Operetta
In August 2013, Fry lent his voice to the title role in Benjamin Britten's operetta Paul Bunyan at the Wales Millennium Centre with the Welsh National Youth Opera.
October 2013: Stephen Fry: Out There Documentary
In October 2013, Stephen Fry presented the two-part documentary Stephen Fry: Out There, exploring attitudes to homosexuality and the lives of gay people in different parts of the world.
November 2013: Twelfth Night Opened on Broadway
On 10 November 2013, the production of Twelfth Night transferred to Broadway.
February 2014: Honorary President of Proud Canaries
In February 2014, Fry became the honorary president of Proud Canaries, a supporters' group for Norwich City's LGBT fans.
March 2014: Support for Hacked Off campaign
In March 2014, Stephen Fry publicly backed "Hacked Off" and its campaign towards press self-regulation.
March 2014: Best Presenter Award at Royal Television Society Programme Awards
In March 2014, Stephen Fry won the Best Presenter award at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards for his BBC2 programme Stephen Fry: Out There.
July 2014: Monty Python Live (Mostly) Appearance
In July 2014, Stephen Fry appeared on stage with Monty Python on the opening night of their live show Monty Python Live (Mostly). Fry was the special guest in their "Blackmail" sketch.
2014: Paddington Bear Statue Design
In 2014, Fry designed a Paddington Bear statue for a London display before the film's release, later auctioned to benefit the NSPCC.
2014: Tony Award Nomination for Twelfth Night
In 2014, Stephen Fry received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Malvolio in the revival of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
2014: More Fool Me Memoir
Stephen Fry wrote about his cocaine use in his memoir More Fool Me in 2014.
June 2015: GivingTales UNICEF Support
In June 2015, Stephen Fry supported the children's fairy tale app GivingTales in aid of UNICEF along with other British celebrities.
September 2015: The Rocky Horror Show Live
On 17 September 2015, Stephen Fry shared the role of the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show, staged at London's Playhouse Theatre and broadcast as the Rocky Horror Show Live.
October 2015: Announced Retirement from QI
In October 2015, Fry announced that he would retire as the host of QI after the "M" series, and would be replaced by Sandi Toksvig.
January 2016: Norwich City Ambassador
In January 2016, Fry stepped down from his Board position at Norwich City Football Club to become the "Norwich City Ambassador".
January 2016: Yonderland Appearance
In January 2016, Stephen Fry appeared as the character "Cuddly Dick" in Series 3 of the Sky One family comedy Yonderland.
2016: Launch of Pindex
In 2016, Fry launched Pindex, a self-funded online platform for educational videos and infographics for teachers and students.
February 2017: Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection Release
In February 2017, Audible released Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, a complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, all read by Fry, who also narrated an introduction for each novel or collection of stories.
2017: Narrated Destiny 2 Expansion Warmind
In 2017, Fry narrated a section of Bungie's Destiny 2 expansion Warmind as the "Concierge."
2017: Patron of the Norwich Film Festival
In 2017, Stephen Fry became the latest patron of the Norwich Film Festival.
April 2018: Release of Stephen Fry's 7 Deadly Sins podcast
On 16 April 2018, Stephen Fry released the first episode of his new podcast "Stephen Fry's 7 Deadly Sins" on his website and other podcasting platforms.
July 2018: Mythos: A Trilogy Stage Version
From May to July 2018, Stephen Fry appeared in Mythos: A Trilogy, a stage version of his book Mythos, in the Shaw Festival Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This comprised a set of three one-man shows (titled Gods, Heroes and Men), each two hours in length, which were performed consecutively, multiple times during the show's run.
2018: Heroes Audiobook Release
In 2018, Stephen Fry released Heroes, a follow-up to his audiobook Mythos.
2018: Sport Relief's mental health awareness
In 2018, Stephen Fry, alongside Nadiya Hussain and Olly Alexander, was part of Sport Relief's attempt to raise awareness of mental health.
August 2019: Mythos: A Trilogy European Premiere
In August 2019, the production of Mythos: A Trilogy received its European premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival.
November 2019: Doctor Who Guest Star
In November 2019, it was announced that Stephen Fry would guest star in "Spyfall", the two-part opening episode of Doctor Who's twelfth series, which was broadcast on New Year's Day 2020.
2019: Featured in Love Goes Never Alone
In 2019, Stephen Fry was featured in the filmed poem rendition Love Goes Never Alone, for the online theatre publication First Night Magazine in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
January 2020: Release of second series of Stephen Fry's 7 Deadly Sins podcast
On 13 January 2020, the first episode of the second series of "Stephen Fry's 7 Deadly Sins" was released and continued for nine weeks.
June 2020: Reads The Ickabog
In June 2020, it was announced that Stephen Fry would read J. K. Rowling's children's book, The Ickabog.
September 2020: A Marvellous Party Stage Celebration
In September 2020, Stephen Fry was among the stars to mark the 100th anniversary of Sir Noël Coward's West End debut with a stage celebration titled "A Marvellous Party".
February 2021: Support for Holocaust survivors' petition
On 1 February 2021, Stephen Fry supported the petition of two Holocaust survivors asking to meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding the 'genocide amendment' to the trade bill.
March 2021: Narration for Cambridge Children's Hospital Film
In March 2021, Fry narrated a short film for Cambridge Children's Hospital.
October 2022: President of Marylebone Cricket Club
On October 1, 2022, Fry succeeded Clare Connor as president of the Marylebone Cricket Club.
2022: Roles in The Dropout and The Sandman
In 2022, Stephen Fry had a recurring role as biochemist Ian Gibbons in the Hulu miniseries The Dropout and portrayed Fiddler's Green / Gilbert in the Netflix series The Sandman.
2023: Relinquished role as President of Marylebone Cricket Club
In 2023, Fry relinquished the role as president of Marylebone Cricket Club and passed it on to his successor Mark Nicholas.
2023: Red, White & Royal Blue and Documentary
In 2023, Stephen Fry portrayed King James III in the LGBT romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue. That same year he also presented the Channel 4 documentary Stephen Fry: Willem & Frieda – Defying the Nazis to positive reviews.
May 2024: Garrick Club Vote
In May 2024, Stephen Fry was among the members of the Garrick Club who spoke in favor of the admission of women members, leading to a successful vote for the change.
2025: Knighthood
In the 2025 New Year Honours, Stephen Fry was knighted for "services to mental health awareness, the environment and to charity".
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