Stephen Fry To Host BAFTA Film Awards For 10th Time

BAFTA has invited the UK’s resident renaissance man, Stephen Fry, to host the EE British Academy Film Awards in February, and he has accepted. This marks the 10th time he will handle the emcee role. As evidenced by his longevity, Fry has been a welcome presence at the Royal Opera House each year. He keeps the show moving briskly along with the audience laughing — and in check. Last year, he hit the stage telling attendees the event was filled with “faces so familiar, you want to lick them.” An advisory note to winners went like this: “When you are given a cup of tea, you don’t thank the kettle, the cup, the milk, the cow, the tea picker… Award winners, I trust I make myself clear. The briefer you are the more we will love, reverence and adore you.” Today, Fry said of hosting for the 10th time, “The opportunity to help the Academy promote filmmaking and encourage cinema-going means a lot to me. I’ve met many heroes and had the honor of introducing many young talents that are now busy forging remarkable careers for themselves. Seeing the photos from each year back I can chart my bewildering changes in weight too…”

Nominations will be announced on January 9 and the official ceremony will be held on February 8 in London. It will be broadcast on BBC One in the UK and in all major territories around the world.