Fry wants changing of guard... to fake fur
Star is the new host of TV quiz show Jeopardy!
STEPHEN Fry has called for an end to the use of real fur in the iconic bearskin caps worn by the King’s Guard outside Buckingham Palace.
The actor and comedian is backing a campaign calling for fake fur to be used instead.
“Tradition is never an excuse for cruelty,” says Fry, narrating a video showing undercover film claiming to reveal how black bears are killed.
The King, who is a keen environmentalist, and other members of the Royal Family often wear bearskins while they attend parades such as Trooping the Colour.
In the video, animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals criticises how bears are “mercilessly killed by trophy hunters”.
Fry, 66, says he wants to “stop using the fur of slaughtered wildlife” for such caps, arguing there is good quality artificial fur available.
PETA says it will share the video footage with the King as it asks him to support a switch.
One of its supporters made the undercover video, which purports to show hunters baiting bears and shooting them with a crossbow.
Fry says some of the animals do not die instantly and succumb to infected wounds or blood loss. The bears are allegedly later disembowelled – and it is claimed body parts are used for trophies and fur sold.
“By continuing to purchase caps made of black bear fur, the UK Government drives demand for pelts and effectively incentivises hunters,” says Fry.
But a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said its pelts are sourced from authorised hunts and a regulated Canadian fur market, adding: “To the department’s knowledge, an alternative has yet to meet the standards required to provide an effective replacement.”
Fate seems to have played a part in choosing the host of rebooted TV gameshow Jeopardy! The programme aired its first episode last week with Stephen Fry at the helm. But the comedian had already made an appearance.
“I was an answer on the US show last year and to hear the contestant give the response, ‘who is Stephen Fry?’ made me wriggle with delight,” says Stephen, 65.
As a long-running host of QI, it’s not surprising the actor, broadcaster, author, director and narrator is a huge fan of quizzes.
Stephen says: “I was lucky enough to be on University Challenge as a student and a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire special, and I have my Celebrity Mastermind crystal winner’s bowl to polish. So I think all my ambitions have been achieved.”
Jeopardy! launched in 1964, making it one of the longest-running gameshows. It is part of the cultural fabric of America and was most famously hosted by Alex Trebec for 37 seasons until his death in 2020.
It reverses the traditional format, giving clues in the form of answers, with contestants asked to identify the question.
Jeopardy! appeared on UK screens in the 1980s, presented by Derek Hobson, and in the 1990s, presented by Steve Jones and later Paul Ross. But now Stephen has brought a modern twist to the cult classic.
ADDICTIVE
He says: “Since I started visiting the United States I found myself completely drawn to Jeopardy! The pleasure of each show and its outcome is addictive and deeply satisfying. But there’s also the wit and variety of the categories. It’s not just Geography, History, Politics.
“In the US, they had a category World Events That Took Place During Liz Truss’s Time As PM – brilliant!
“Or there are great wordplay puzzles that don’t need specialist knowledge, where words are hidden inside other words, for example, ‘term’ in ‘watermelon’, or words that have other meanings spelt backwards.”
Jeopardy! is a classic shout-at-the-telly family show, something that Stephen was fond of during childhood.
He says: “I loved Mastermind and University Challenge when I was growing up. My father was a physicist and always got the science ones.
“My mother did history at university and the family joke was that whenever there was a history question and we all turned to look at her for the answer, she would shake her head and say, ‘not my period’. We never found out what her period was.”
So how would you fare on Jeopardy! Test your brainpower with these official questions from the show to see how much cash you could have won…
I’ve found myself completely drawn to Jeopardy! Every show is addictive & satisfying
STEPHEN FRY ON BECOMING A FAN DURING VISITS TO THE U.S