Stephen to make Handel film? - Jan 15 2008
Stephen Fry is apparently set to bring the life story of classical composer Handel to the big screen.

The eccentric actor, 50, has bought the rights to a screenplay about the music genius behind the Messiah, which will also reveal the exploits of his favourite singer Susannah Cibber.

Producer Gina Carter told The Times: "It is a really exciting script, very pacey and a good, strong story. Handel was a big character."

The film, tentatively titled Hallelujah! was written by Nicholas Adams and comes 20 years after a controversial film about Mozart's life, Amadeus, won eight Oscars.

German-born Handel spent most of his adult life in England, becoming a British citizen in 1727 and going on to write four anthems for the Coronation of George II.

Handel's muse Susannah was said to have scandalised London in the 18th century after her jealous husband gambled her away after an affair.

She fled to Dublin, where she took part in the premiere of Messiah in 1742, despite protests from the church.

I don’t know it all, says Fry - Dec 14 2007
Stephen Fry has apparently admitted he "deeply regrets" that he might come across as "a bit of a smug know-it-all".

The star, who was once described as having "a brain the size of Kent", says he doesn’t know everything, reports the Daily Express.

The QI host is quoted as saying: "I’m far from that and I don’t have an answer for everything.

"I’ve frequently been lost for words and dumbfounded by people who are far more intelligent than I am. I think I have been blessed with two things - big feet and a big memory."

And the Cambridge-educated writer, actor and presenter - who is currently filming a documentary in which he visits every US state - added: "To know the limits of your knowledge is the definition of an educated mind. And the limits of your ignorance as well. Sometimes people’s curiosity seems to be missing. I have a genuine thirst for finding out about things.

"People bemoan a ’lack of education’ but that is piffle. All I say is ’Imagine that someone has thrown a lot of money on the ground. All you need is the desire to pick it up.’ A lot of folk wander about with their heads in the air and they never look at what is there at their feet."

Stephen shocked by HIV prejudice - Oct 1 2007
Stephen Fry has revealed that making his new BBC Two series HIV And Me was both a fascinating and moving experience - but admits that he didn’t expect to find such a huge stigma still attached to the issue.

"We found that other people’s perceptions are one of the biggest issues," he says.

"It’s shocking but there was one little girl I met who was born with Aids and she had to endure having ’Aids sl*t’ daubed in paint on the front door of her house and other responses like that."

Stephen believes the only way to fight the global battle against the HIV virus is to destroy the deeply entrenched stigmas through frank and honest dialogue.

"Talking about Aids is precisely what helps to dispel the myths," he says.

"At the moment HIV is a bit like Voldemort and we all have to be Harry Potter and be brave enough to say his name, and then it will get less and less powerful the more we do!", he suggests, smiling.

"However, if we continue to privilege it with this huge power and mystique, and make out that it’s best not talked about, then it will flourish even more."

HIV And Me starts on BBC Two on Tuesday October 2 at 9pm.