Stephen Fry, 67, reveals being gay felt like there was 'a horror inside him' when he was teenager and he was known as 'celibate Stephen'

Stephen Fry, 67, reveals being gay felt like there was 'a horror inside him' when he was teenager and admits that pals poked fun at his 'celibacy' By Codie Bullen For Mailonline Published: 11:46 BST, 21 September 2024 | Updated: 12:02 BST, 21 September 2024 e-mail View comments Stephen Fry has opened up on being gay as a teenager and revealed he used to be known as 'celibate Stephen'. The actor, 67, publicly came out as gay in the 1980s and has been open about his sexuality for many years. In a new interview with The Times , Stephen admitted being gay used to feel like there was 'a horror inside him' and he felt 'rejected'.

He explained: 'In the Eighties, I was known as Celibate Stephen. I was so excited by my work that I forgot to have sex. It was also fear: I always felt rejected in gay bars.

I couldn't dance; I didn't look cool. All I wanted was to sit and talk. In some ways, though, I was lucky: I lost many friends to Aids.

'Being gay gave me years of misery but an education in literature. By the time I was 13 my sexuality was a secret horror swelling inside me and I was desperately trying to find out who I was, what future there was for me. I knew the disgrace and humiliation of gay people.

Stephen Fry has opened up on being gay as a teenager and revealed he used to be known as 'celibate Stephen' In a new interview with The Times , Stephen admitted being gay used to feel like there was 'a horror inside him' and he felt 'rejected' He added: 'Oscar Wilde had taught me that.