Stephen Fry responds to critics of 30-year age gap with husband on ITV’s The Assembly
"The only thing that matters in a relationship is love," said Fry
By Aaron Sugg
Stephen Fry has confronted critics who judge the age gap between him and his 38-year-old husband, Elliott Spencer.
Married since 2015, Fry, 68, and Spencer have maintained a healthy relationship since they met through mutual friends in 2012.
During an appearance on ITV’s The Assembly, a programme in which high-profile celebrities are interviewed by a panel of 35 autistic, neurodivergent, or disabled individuals, Fry was asked about the 30-year age gap.
“I feel a bit sorry for them” – Stephen Fry confronting age gap critics
The former Attitude cover star shut down critics, saying: “I feel a bit sorry for them… I don’t see why they should have such an opinion about things, but the only thing that matters in a relationship is love.”
He continued on relationships more generally: “And, if you feel it, and it’s felt on both sides, and it’s not an exploitative relationship.”
Fry described the dynamic of his own marriage, saying: “I would say to people that in our relationship, Elliot has all the power, really. He makes a lot of the decisions about things, cos I trust him to. It just works for us extremely well.”
Are age gaps common in gay relationships?
Studies show that age-gap relationships are statistically more common among gay male couples than heterosexual couples.
In research conducted by the Gay Therapy Centre, it was found that gay male relationships show the highest prevalence of age gaps (around 25 per cent), compared with straight couples (about 8 per cent).
The couple have been through a lot together, including frightening health battles, after marrying 10 days after their engagement.
Fry was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in late 2017
Fry publicly revealed his aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis in February 2018 after undergoing surgery the month prior.
In March, marking Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Fry shared a heartwarming message for Attitude readers, drawing attention to the stigma between prostate cancer and gay men.
The second series of The Assembly began on ITV and ITVX on 8 April, so far featuring Fry and former First Minister of Scotland and Leader Nicola Sturgeon.