Stephen Fry distances himself from ‘lost cause’ JK Rowling: ‘She has been radicalised’
Fry said that Rowling may have "been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her"
By Gary Grimes
Stephen Fry has spoken out against JK Rowling in a recent public appearance.
Fry, who famously narrated all of Rowling’s Harry Potter audiobooks and has previously stuck by the author whom he referred to as a friend, spoke about her at a live recording of podcast The Show People at the Two Brewers in Clapham this week.
“She has been radicalised, I fear, and it may be she has been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her,” Fry said to host Andrew Keates, as reported by the MailOnline.
Join me tomorrow for an intimate evening with Sir Stephen Fry at @2BrewersClapham for the relaunch of The Show People Podcast.
— Andrew Keates (@andrewkeates) June 11, 2025
Only a handful of £20 tickets left.
All proceeds go towards @QueerTheatreUK projects.https://t.co/VC2cXKs9jB
“It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her I am afraid. I am not saying that she not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking,” Fry went on. “She seems to be a lost cause for us.”
Despite having previously refused to break ties with the Harry Potter creator, on this occasion Fry was emphatic in his disagreement with her views and actions.
“I disagree profoundly with her on this subject,” he stated. “I am angry she does not disavow some of the more revolting and truly horrible, destructive violently destructive things that people say. She does not attack those at all.
Stephen Fry thinks @jk_rowling has been
— Gender Receipts (@GenderReceipts) June 19, 2025
'radicalised by TERFs' & is 'a lost cause'?
Well I think he's a woman hating pseudo-intellectual.
Here is a pathetic video he made previously, sending love to 'trans' people, & saying we owe them support.
Article: https://t.co/uI9V8QNueg pic.twitter.com/xfRM8l5jSk
“She says things that are inflammatory and contemptuous, mocking and add to a terribly distressing time for trans people,” Fry continued. “She has crowed at the success of legislation in Scotland and elsewhere declaring things about gender.
“So I am very happy to go on the record to say that I am really angry about that,” he declared. “My view about all things of sharp and difficult nature is that is is much more important to be effective than to be right.”
“I am sorry because I always liked her company,” – Stephen Fry on JK Rowling
Fry, who in 2021 said of Rowling: “She’s a friend and will remain a friend,” lamented the friendship he once shared with the anti-trans campaigner.
“I am sorry because I always liked her company,” he said. “I found her charming, funny and interesting and then this thing happened and it completely altered the way she talks and engages with the world now.”