Comedian Stephen Fry has opened up about his disappearance in 1995, saying he would have ended his own life if he didn’t have the option of vanishing for a while. The 58-year-old was speaking as part of BBC documentary ‘Stephen Fry: A Life On Screen’ which airs tonight (December 29th) on BBC Two.

Stephen FryStephen Fry has spoken about his 1995 disappearance.

Fry disappeared in 1995 just three days before he was due to star in Cell Mates on London’s West End. At the time a spokesperson for his agent said, “We are concerned about him” and confirmed they did not know the comedian’s whereabouts.

"My luck began to fizzle out. I just couldn’t take being in the play, or being in London,” Fry explains in the doc. “I saw these rows of newspaper headlines – ‘fears for Fry’ type thing. And I stared at it in complete disbelief. I mean I was absolutely staggered.”

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“They all are worried that I've committed suicide. That’s the awful thing isn’t it? I can’t believe I worried people so much. When you feel you can’t go on, it’s not just a phase, it is a reality. I could not go on. And I would have killed myself if I didn’t have the option of disappearing.”

Fry’s close friend and comedy partner Hugh Laurie also added: “I think it was one of the moments where he ceased to become the driver of his own vehicle.” In the doc, Fry also recalls meeting Laurie at Cambridge University in 1980, saying “It was an act of creative falling in love, comically falling in love.”

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Speaking about his departure from popular series ‘QI’ earlier this year Fry said: "I’m leaving QI, because really I honestly think 13 years is enough. It’s been incredibly good fun and I wouldn’t want to feel stale or for it to go sour on me in that sort of way, or for me to feel like I’m treading water or repeating myself.”

Fry will be replaced as host on the series by Sandi Toksvig, who has his full backing. “Sandi Toksvig couldn’t be a better choice [of replacement] so I’m very happy for the show to go on without me really and find other things to do,” he added.