Stephen Fry has said that he is “very very happy” about his upcoming nuptials to his partner, the stand-up comedian, Elliott Spencer.

The 57-year-old actor and presenter has given formal notice to his 27-year-old partner, Spencer, at a register office in Norfolk, near where he grew up.

Writing on Twitter to his 8.36 million followers, Fry said: “It looks as though a certain cat is out of a certain bag.

"I’m very very happy of course but had hoped for a private wedding. Fat chance!”

The actor continued by saying that he was “deeply touched” by all those who had wished him well.

Among the well-wishers was the comedian Robert Webb, who starred in Channel 4’s Peep Show, who wrote to Fry on Twitter: “Ooh! Congratulations Stephen. Marvellous news x”.

In a statement, Mr Fry’s personal assistant said: "Stephen Fry is very happy and proud to say that he has set the wheels in motion for a wedding sometime in the future but no date has been set due to a busy work schedule."

Mr Fry currently appears in the comedy quiz show QI and had a role in the recent Hobbit film.

In 2006, he delved into his past on the BBC series “Who Do You Think You Are,” tracing the ancestry of his Jewish maternal grandparents, who moved to England from Eastern Europe.