Season 1 • Episode 2
LatestStephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive is a 2006 two-part television documentary directed by Ross Wilson and featuring British actor and comedian Stephen Fry. It explores the effects of living with bipolar disorder, based on the experiences of Fry, other celebrities and members of the public with, or affected by, the disorder. It won an Emmy Award for Best Documentary at the 35th International Emmys in 2007.
Acting
Fry's raw disclosure of his own suicide attempt.
Direction
Balances clinical rigor with deeply personal portraiture.
Writing
Fry's wit weaponized to disarm and enlighten simultaneously.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Fry filmed much of this during a depressive episode, later calling it 'the hardest professional thing I've done.' The crew kept shooting through his silences.
This documentary single-handedly shifted UK mental health discourse—NHS bipolar diagnoses reportedly spiked 40% in the following year as viewers finally had language for their experiences.
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