Stephen Fry gives rare insight into relationship with younger husband

Daily Mirror

04-06-2025

Celebrity Traitors contestant Stephen Fry opened up to Rylan Clark about his marriage to Elliott Spencer on the latest episode of the BBC Sounds podcast How to Be in Love
Broadcaster Stephen Fry has given a rare insight into his marriage to Elliott Spencer after more than a decade together. It's included him revealing that he has discovered aspects of pop culture through his younger husband.
Stephen, 67, and Elliott, 38, have been together since 2013. The couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary earlier this year and the former QI host described himself as "a lucky man" in a post marking the occasion in January.
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The Blackadder star has now spoken about his marriage whilst a guest on the BBC Sounds podcast Rylan: How to Be in Love. He was interviewed by host Rylan Clark, 36, for the latest episode, which was released earlier today.
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Stephen was asked about the age gap between the couple and said he "stopped thinking about it". He went on to suggest in the discussion that a younger partner can be "more experienced in the world as it is than as it was".
The comedian, who said that he has "completely different tastes in things" compared to his husband Elliott, added: "So much of what I love in music and literature and so on is from not necessarily this century. It isn't from this century."
Asked how that plays out, he said: "It's wonderful." Stephen then revealed that Elliott has introduced him to rapper Kendrick Lamar and wrestling brand WWE, for example, with him sharing that he's now a fan of them himself.
Stephen said of his husband: "He teaches me things I just didn't know. He introduced me to Kendrick Lamar, which was a great thing to do because [he's] I've decided is a great poetical spirit - a really remarkable figure."
He continued: "So that, plus, now you're really going to laugh here, because I thought 'is he insane?' He has a great affection for, and I guess you could call it ironic, but it's real, for WWE."
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Stephen - who is set to compete on Celebrity Traitors later this year - said that Elliott introduced him to the "cast of characters" in wrestling, whom he described as "bloody talented". Asked if he's a fan now, he said: "I kind of am." He added that he's even bought tickets for WrestleMania in Las Vegas.
Asked about the "secret" to a "successful" ten-year marriage, Stephen said that every relationship is different. He said that each relationship is "brand new" and has "never been seen before," adding: "So I can tell you how to have a successful relationship with Elliott, but that's probably not very helpful."
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Sharing his thoughts, he added: "All the normal human virtues, some of which are forgotten virtues, but one of the most important human virtues I think isn't even really considered a virtue, but it is one that changes the world.
"It's not kindness, which obviously is important, but it's a subset of kindness, perhaps. And it's cheerfulness. When you're in the presence of a cheerful person it makes everything better. They're like their own sunshine. So that's one of the things - if one is down to help the other come up."