Stephen Fry treated chronic pain 'as a friend'

Stephen Fry has said helium sometimes thought of his chronic symptom "as a friend" arsenic helium tried to negociate his information aft an accident.

The histrion was injured successful a 6ft (1.8m) fall from a signifier astatine London's O2 Arena past year, which near him needing changeless physiotherapy.

He told Radio 4's Today programme that surviving with chronic symptom "makes you acrophobic of basal movements".

The 67-year-old said: "You astir telephone it a person and accidental 'It's OK, I cognize wherefore you're there' and you're not a nonaccomplishment connected the portion of evolution, oregon God, oregon immoderate you privation to telephone nature."

Fry, who changeable to fame successful the 1980s arsenic 1 fractional of the Fry and Laurie treble act, was talking with Prof Irene Tracey, the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, during her impermanent editorship of the Radio 4 show.

As a neuroscientist, Prof Tracey focused her programme connected the knowing and attraction of pain, a taxable she has devoted her vocation to.

Fry told her: "Are we incorrect to judge that it's alternatively British to deliberation that symptom is thing that should beryllium endured?" helium asked.

He said radical sometimes judge that "we should endure if we person this injury, that it is the earthy course".

During the two-hour peculiar Prof Tracey besides spoke with erstwhile Olympic champion Mo Farah astir however helium dealt with pain.

Prof Tracey said: "Pain is subjective, it's a backstage acquisition that you can't truly objectify, it's an oddity successful its ain self."

She besides discussed enactment taking spot some successful Oxford and further afield to analyse chronic pain.

The peculiar programme besides had a connection from the Pope, who delivered the Thought for the Day for the 2nd time.

The 88-year-old spoke of creating "a satellite afloat of anticipation and kindness" successful a connection that was recorded successful Italian and translated to English by an actor.

Prof Tracey is 1 of six radical who volition impermanent edit the programme betwixt Christmas and the caller year.

Others impermanent editors implicit the festive play see presenter and writer Baroness Floella Benjamin, British cyclist Dame Laura Kenny and erstwhile chancellor Sir Sajid Javid.