Stephen Fry goes ‘Out There’ in new series

Stephen Fry is to front a two-part documentary series exploring first-hand how the lives of men and women in different communities across the globe have been impacted by their sexuality.

Airing later this year, the two hour long programmes cameras follow Stephen to North and South America, Africa, Asia and Russia, meeting people working hard to improve the rights of LGBT communities, whilst also confronting outspoken government officials and community leaders who strongly oppose gay rights.

Contemplating his own experience as a gay man in the spotlight, Stephen Fry sets out to explore what lies beneath people’s prejudices and why some people feel so threatened by homosexuality.

In Stephen Fry – Out There as well as uncovering the difficulties faced by many gay people the world over, Stephen’s journey also reveals an inspiring story of bravery and resilience, celebrating the triumph of love in the face of adversity.

The series will air on BBC Two. Earlier this week Stephen noted that while filming abroad last year he had attempted a second suicide attempt, he first tried to end his life in 1995.

Speaking to comedian Richard Herring for his podcast, in front of an audience, Stephen said that he took “huge number of pills and vodka”, before being saved by a crew member.

Stephen, who is the president of the mental health charity Mind, added,: “I am the victim of my own moods, more than most people are perhaps, in as much as I have a condition which requires me to take medication so that I don’t get either too hyper or too depressed to the point of suicide.”

Fry noted, “There is no ‘why’, it’s not the right question. There’s no reason. If there were a reason for it, you could reason someone out of it, and you could tell them why they shouldn’t take their own life.”