Editing Stephen Fry (section)

== Ventures ==

=== Narration ===
Fry is known for his extensive voice-over work; he read all seven of the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' novels for the UK [[audiobook]] recordings,<ref name="auto"/> narrated [[Paddington Bear]] audiobooks,<ref name="Paddington">{{cite news |title=Audie Award Winners of 2008 (partial) |url=https://www.learnoutloud.com/Content/Topic-Pages/Audie-Award-Winners-of-2008/141 |access-date=22 May 2019 |work=LearnOutLoud.com |issue=E-Magazine No. 070 |publisher=LearnOutLoud, Inc. |date=5 June 2008}}</ref> narrated the video game series ''[[LittleBigPlanet]]'' and ''[[Birds of Steel]]'', narrated an animated series of explanations of the [[laws of cricket]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/about-the-laws-of-cricket|title=About the Laws of Cricket &#124; MCC|website=Lords.org}}</ref> and narrated a series of animations about [[secular humanism|humanism]] for [[Humanists UK]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://humanism.org.uk/thatshumanism/|title=That's Humanism!|publisher=[[British Humanist Association]]}}</ref>

===Twitter===

Fry wielded a considerable amount of influence through his use of Twitter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8406898.stm|work=BBC News|title=A portrait of the decade|date=14 December 2009|access-date=24 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/gill-hornby/6349700/Dont-laugh---Stephen-Fry-is-giving-the-orders-now.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019223004/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/gill-hornby/6349700/Dont-laugh---Stephen-Fry-is-giving-the-orders-now.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 October 2009|title=Don't laugh – Stephen Fry is giving the orders now|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=17 October 2009|location=London|first=Gill|last=Hornby|date=16 October 2009}}</ref> He was frequently asked to promote various charities and causes, often inadvertently causing their websites to crash because of the volume of traffic generated by his large number of followers; as Fry noted on his website: "Four thousand hits a second all diving down the pipeline at the same time for minutes on end."<ref>{{cite web|first=Stephen |last=Fry|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/26/servers-with-a-smile/#more-1197|title=Servers with a Smile " The New Adventures of Stephen Fry|publisher=Stephenfry.com|date=26 August 2009|access-date=17 October 2009}}</ref> He used his influence to recommend underexposed musicians and authors (who often saw large increases in web hits and sales)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6170777/Stephen-Frys-Twitter-posts-on-David-Eagleman-novel-sparks-6000-sales-spike.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6170777/Stephen-Frys-Twitter-posts-on-David-Eagleman-novel-sparks-6000-sales-spike.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Stephen Fry's Twitter posts on David Eagleman novel sparks 6000% sales spike|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=11 September 2009|access-date=17 October 2009|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/8306827.stm|title=Fry's Twitter lift for singer, 16|work=BBC News|access-date=17 October 2009|date=14 October 2009}}</ref> and to raise awareness of contemporary issues in the world of media and politics, notably the dropping of an [[injunction]] against ''The Guardian''<ref>{{cite news|first=Alan |last=Rusbridger|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/oct/14/trafigura-fiasco-tears-up-textbook|title=The Trafigura fiasco tears up the textbook|work=The Guardian |date=13 May 2009|access-date=17 October 2009|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Seth|url=http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/54667,news-comment,business,twitter-claims-another-scalp-as-trafigura-backs-down|title=Twitter claims another scalp as Trafigura backs down|work=The First Post|date=13 October 2009|access-date=17 October 2009|archive-date=16 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016225830/http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/54667,news-comment,business,twitter-claims-another-scalp-as-trafigura-backs-down|url-status=dead}}</ref> and public anger over ''[[Daily Mail]]'' columnist [[Jan Moir]]'s article on the death of [[Boyzone]] member [[Stephen Gately]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8311499.stm|title=Anger over Mail column on Gately|work=BBC News|access-date=17 October 2009|date=16 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a182344/twitter-outrage-over-gately-smear.html|title=Twitter outrage over Gately smear|work=Digital Spy|access-date=17 October 2009|date=16 October 2009|archive-date=19 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019061841/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a182344/twitter-outrage-over-gately-smear.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2009, Fry's Twitter account reached one million followers. He commemorated the million-followers milestone with a humorous video blog in which a 'Step Hen Fry' clone speaks from the year 2034, where MySpace, Facebook and Twitter have combined to form 'Twit on MyFace'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/11/14/twillionth/|title=Twillionth|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091117154947/http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/11/14/twillionth/|archive-date=17 November 2009}}</ref> In November 2010, he welcomed his two-millionth follower with a blog entry detailing his opinions and experiences of Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fry|first=Stephen|title=Two Million Reasons To Be Cheerful|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/2010/11/30/two-million-reasons-to-be-cheerful/|publisher=The New Adventures of Stephen Fry|access-date=3 December 2010|date=30 November 2010}}</ref> On 11 March 2012, Fry noted his passing of the four-million-followers mark with a tweet: "Lordy I've breasted the 4 million followers tape. Love you all. Yes even YOU. But let's dedicate today to [[Douglas Adams]]'s diamond jubilee".<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Fry |first=Stephen |user=stephenfry |number=178760058656653312|title=Tweet |date=11 March 2012 |access-date=28 March 2012 }}</ref> {{As of|2021|June}} he had 12.4&nbsp;million followers.<ref name=Twitter>{{twitter|stephenfry}}</ref>

Fry had a history of temporarily distancing himself from the social networking site which began when he received criticism in October 2009. However, he retracted the announcement that he would be leaving the following day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8336425.stm|title=Fry ends row with Twitter critic|date=1 November 2009|access-date=6 January 2010 |work=BBC News}}</ref> In October 2010, Fry left Twitter for a few days, with a farewell message of "Bye bye", following press criticism of a quote taken from an interview he had given. After returning, he explained that he had left Twitter to "avoid being sympathised with or told about an article" he "would otherwise never have got wind of".<ref>{{cite web|last=Fry|first=Stephen|title=Silliness|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/2010/11/04/silliness/4/|publisher=The New Adventures of Stephen Fry|access-date=5 November 2010|date=4 November 2010}}</ref> The methods Fry uses on Twitter have been criticised.<ref name="Yiannopoulos_Telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/8137164/My-Twitter-row-with-Stephen-Fry.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/8137164/My-Twitter-row-with-Stephen-Fry.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|date=16 November 2010|title=My 'Twitter row' with Stephen Fry|last=Yiannopoulos|first= Milo|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=22 May 2012|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 15 February 2016, Fry deleted his Twitter account after receiving criticism for a tweet commenting on [[Jenny Beavan]]'s outfit choice at that year's BAFTAs where she received an award for costume design.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35577913|title=Stephen Fry 'quits' Twitter over Bafta jibe|date=15 February 2015|access-date=15 February 2016|work=BBC News}}</ref> Fry alluded to this on an April 2016 episode of ''[[The Rubin Report]]'' in which he criticised [[groupthink]] mentality and stated that his return to Twitter was a "maybe".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJQHakkViPo| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/eJQHakkViPo| archive-date=28 October 2021|title=Stephen Fry on political correctness and clear thinking|via=YouTube|date=4 April 2016|access-date=10 April 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/stephen-fry-speaks-about-erosion-of-free-speech-on-student-campuses_uk_570bb53de4b07a35187c5a96|title=Stephen Fry Speaks About Erosion Of 'Free Speech' On Student Campuses in Controversial Rubin Report Interview |website=The Huffington Post UK |date=11 April 2016 |first=George |last=Bowden |access-date=22 November 2016}}</ref> He returned to Twitter in August 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegayuk.com/stephen-fry-is-back-on-twitter/|title=Stephen Fry is back on Twitter – The Gay UK|date=17 August 2016}}</ref> He left Twitter again in November 2022,<ref>{{ cite web | url=https://www.stephenfry.com/contact/ | title=Contact - Official site of Stephen Fry | website=stephenfry.com | date=8 November 2022 | access-date=8 November 2022 | archive-date=8 November 2022 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108193142/https://www.stephenfry.com/contact/}}</ref> joining [[Mastodon (social network)|Mastodon]] that same month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mastodonapp.uk/@stephenfry|title=Stephen Fry's page at Mastodon|date=9 November 2022|access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref>

=== Sport ===
In August 2010, Fry joined the board of directors at [[Norwich City Football Club]]. A lifelong fan of "the Canaries" and a regular visitor to [[Carrow Road]], he said, on being appointed, "Truly this is one of the most exciting days of my life, and I am as proud and pleased as I could be."<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-10968940|work=BBC News|title=Stephen Fry joins Norwich City board|date=13 August 2010}}</ref> Fry stepped down from his Board position in January 2016, to take up a new position as "Norwich City Ambassador".<ref name="resi">{{cite web|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/stephen_fry_steps_down_from_norwich_city_board_as_delia_s_nephew_joins_1_4384262|title=Stephen Fry steps down from Norwich City board as Delia's nephew joins|work=edp24.co.uk|access-date=18 January 2016|archive-date=19 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119190952/http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/stephen_fry_steps_down_from_norwich_city_board_as_delia_s_nephew_joins_1_4384262|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fry said, "My five years in the role have been an honour and a privilege beyond almost anything I can remember. I wish I could take credit for ushering the club up from League One to the Premiership during that time on the Board. Actually, I'm going to. It was all me. It can't have been a coincidence ... But now I'm so happy to relinquish my seat on the board to Thomas Smith and to engage as fully as I can in the role of ambassador for Norwich City."<ref name="resi"/> In February 2014, Fry became the honorary president of [[Proud Canaries]], a supporters' group for Norwich City's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender fans.<ref>{{cite news|title=Proud Canaries LGBT group supported by Stephen Fry|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-26316210|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 February 2014|date=23 February 2014}}</ref>

Fry succeeded [[Clare Connor]] to become president of [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] on 1 October 2022, relinquishing the role after one year to his successor [[Mark Nicholas]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/stephen-fry-announced-as-new-mcc-president-1313487|title=Stephen Fry announced as new MCC President|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=We need to help more people come to cricket - Fry |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/62037856 |access-date=10 November 2023}}</ref>

=== Business ===
In 2008, Fry formed SamFry Ltd, with long-term collaborator Andrew Sampson to produce and fund new material and to manage his official website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/misc/about-us/|title=About|publisher=Stephenfry.com|access-date=4 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206235654/http://www.stephenfry.com/misc/about-us|archive-date=6 February 2009}}</ref> Fry is the co-owner, with Gina Carter and [[Sandi Toksvig]], of Sprout Pictures, an independent film and television company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sproutpictures.com/|title=Sprout Pictures is an independent Film and Television production company owned by Gina Carter and Stephen Fry.|work=sproutpictures.com}}</ref>

In 2016, Fry launched Pindex, "a self-funded online platform that creates and curates educational videos and infographics for teachers and students," founded and run by a four-person team.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Orlowski |first=Andrew |date=3 February 2016 |title=Did you know ... Stephen Fry has founded a tech startup? |url=https://www.theregister.com/2016/02/03/stephen_fry_tech_startup_pindex/ |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=the Register}}</ref>

===Charity===
[[File:"Paddington is Great", Paddington Bear, Downing Street - geograph.org.uk - 4235852.jpg|thumb|upright|Fry's [[Paddington Bear]] statue—themed "Paddington is Great"—at [[10 Downing Street]] in London, auctioned to raise funds for the [[NSPCC]]]]
In 2008, Fry appeared in a film made by the [[Free Software Foundation]] to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the [[GNU]] Project to create a completely free operating system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gnu.org/fry/ |title=Stephen Fry – Happy birthday to GNU |work=[[GNU]]}}</ref> In the film, Fry explains the principles of software freedom central to the development of the [[Linux]] and GNU software projects.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=Matt |url=https://www.fsf.org/news/freedom-fry/ |title=FSF and Stephen Fry celebrate the GNU Project 25th anniversary |work=[[Free Software Foundation|FSF]] |date=1 September 2008}}</ref> For the [[Comic Relief]] telethon in 2011, Fry was one of four celebrities who represented a new flavour of [[Walkers (snack foods)|Walkers]] crisps: ''Stephen Fry Up'', with the flavour inspired by the [[full English breakfast]] (also known as a 'fry up').<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fletcher |first1=Alex |title=Walkers reveal Comic Relief comedy crisps |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a299134/walkers-reveal-comic-relief-comedy-crisps/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=19 June 2024 |date=20 January 2011 |archive-date=19 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319091112/https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a299134/walkers-reveal-comic-relief-comedy-crisps/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014, Fry designed a [[Paddington Bear]] statue, one of fifty located around London prior to the release of the film ''[[Paddington (film)|Paddington]]'', which was auctioned to raise funds for the [[National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children]] (NSPCC).<ref>{{cite news |first=Lilit |last=Marcus |title=Why Paddington Bear Statues Have Taken Over London |url=https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-11-24/paddington-bear-statues-taken-over-london-david-beckham-benedict-cumberbatch |date=24 November 2014 |access-date=24 November 2023 |work=Condé Nast}}</ref>

Fry is a supporter of nature and wildlife conservation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stephen Fry backs The Wildlife Trusts' appeal on Giving Tuesday |url=https://www.lancswt.org.uk/news/stephen-fry-backs-wildlife-trusts-appeal-giving-tuesday |work=[[Lancashire Wildlife Trust]] |date=1 December 2020 |access-date=12 December 2024}}</ref> He has been the president of the [[Great Fen Project]] since 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=Presidents and Patrons |url=https://www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/partners-and-supporters/presidents-and-patrons |work=[[Great Fen Project]] |access-date=12 December 2024}}</ref> and vice-president of international NGO [[Fauna and Flora International]] since 2009.<ref>{{cite web |last=Foges |first=Rebecca |title=Stephen Fry elected as Vice President of FFI! |url=https://www.fauna-flora.org/news/stephen-fry-elected-as-vice-president-of-ffi |work=[[Fauna and Flora International]] |orig-date=Original date 13 November 2009 |date=30 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223001354/http://www.fauna-flora.org/news/stephen-fry-elected-as-vice-president-of-ffi/ |archive-date=23 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=13 November 2009|title=Stephen Fry brings spit, wit and tweets to conservation group|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/nov/13/stephen-fry-last-chance-to-see|access-date=5 December 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> Fry has also expressed support for [[Climate change mitigation|action]] on [[climate change]]<ref>{{cite web|date=24 November 2020|title=Stephen Fry and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall call for carbon pricing to tackle climate change|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/stephen-fry-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-carbon-pricing-climate-change-769673|access-date=5 December 2020|website=i (newspaper)|language=en}}</ref> and activist group [[Extinction Rebellion]], and has criticized [[climate change denial]].<ref>{{cite news|date=24 August 2020|title=Stephen Fry urges people to stand with Extinction Rebellion|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/stephen-fry-extinction-rebellion-writers-rebel-think-tank-lawson-a9681596.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/stephen-fry-extinction-rebellion-writers-rebel-think-tank-lawson-a9681596.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=5 December 2020|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref>

In April 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Fry appeared in a sketch alongside [[Prince William]] for a charity show titled ''[[The Big Night In]]'' on [[BBC One]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/prince-william-tiger-king-bbc-big-night-in-stephen-fry-blackadder-a9481091.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/prince-william-tiger-king-bbc-big-night-in-stephen-fry-blackadder-a9481091.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title= BBC Big Night In: Prince William jokes he hasn't seen Tiger King as he 'avoids shows about royalty'|website= [[The Independent|Independent]]|access-date= 24 April 2020}}</ref> In the lighthearted sketch, Fry reprises his ''[[Blackadder]]'' character [[List of Blackadder characters|Lord Melchett]], who is on a [[Zoom (software)|Zoom]] call with the then Duke of Cambridge as they talk about television shows such as ''[[EastEnders]]'' and ''[[Tiger King]]'' as well as homeschooling.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2020/tv/global/tiger-king-prince-william-stephen-fry-blackadder-melchett-bbc-big-night-in-1234588925/|title= Even Prince William Can't Escape 'Tiger King'|website= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date= 24 April 2020|access-date= 24 April 2020}}</ref> The sketch had been put together by Comic Relief and [[Children in Need]] to raise money and keep people entertained during the lockdown.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/23/prince-william-stephen-fry-12602349/|title= Prince William and Stephen Fry join forces for iconic skit as they chat about EastEnders and Tiger King|website=Metro|location=UK|access-date= 24 April 2020}}</ref> In March 2021, Fry narrated a short film for Cambridge Children's Hospital.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2021-03-19/stephen-fry-backs-development-of-new-cambridge-childrens-hospital |title=Stephen Fry backs development of new Cambridge Children's Hospital |publisher=ITV |date=19 March 2021 |access-date=6 March 2022}}</ref>

Fry has been the patron of UK audiobook charity Listening Books since 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stephen Fry, Our Patron Listening Books|url=https://www.listening-books.org.uk/celebrity-support/our-patron|access-date=5 April 2024|website=listening-books.org.uk}}</ref>