Stephen Fry, 68, sues tech conference for £100,000 in damages after he fell six feet off a stage breaking his leg, ribs and hip
Stephen Fry has sued for £100,000 compensation after falling 1.8 meters off the stage while performing and breaking his leg, hip and ribs.
The 68-year-old broadcaster and author suffered a fall while giving a keynote speech at the CogX convention at the O2 Arena in London in September 2023.
Stephen had just finished speaking and was trying to leave the stage when he fell onto the concrete below.
The man, who broke his right leg in several places, his pelvis in four places and several ribs, was taken to hospital. He relied on a cane for a while after the incident.
Court documents reveal Stephen has filed a personal injury claim for up to £100,000 against CogX Festival Ltd and creative agency Blonstein Events Ltd.
The filings submitted on his behalf state: ‘The Claimant claims compensation for personal injuries sustained at the O2 Arena in London on 14 September 2023 while attending the CogX Festival, where he was assigned to give a talk on Artificial Intelligence.
Stephen Fry sues tech conference for £100,000 damages after falling off stage while performing and breaking his leg, hip and ribs
The 68-year-old broadcaster and author was giving a keynote speech at the CogX convention at the O2 Arena in London in September 2023 when his fall occurred.
‘After completing his presentation and as he was leaving the backstage area, the Claimant fell approximately two meters from the stage onto the concrete floor below.
‘The incident arose out of negligence and/or breach of legal duty by the Defendants, their servants or agents to ensure that the stage and backstage area was safe, adequately lit and suitably protected to prevent falls from a height.’
A spokesperson for CogX told BBC News: ‘We cannot comment while the legal process is ongoing, but we were all deeply concerned when Stephen suffered an accident after giving his incredible speech on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and we continue to send him our best wishes for a full recovery.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Stephen’s representatives for comment.
Fieldfisher’s Keith Barrett, who is representing him in the case, told the broadcaster: ‘It is very unfortunate that court proceedings have been necessary, but the Defendants do not accept Sir Stephen’s version of events and we have been forced to ask the court to determine who is responsible for his injuries and losses.’
A spokesman for Blonstein Events Ltd said: ‘No proceedings have been served by Sir Stephen Fry or anyone representing him.
‘If court proceedings proceed, both we and the insurers are confident that our defense will be successful as we are not responsible in any way for this incident.’
Stephen revealed the full extent of his injuries in an interview with Claudia Winkleman on BBC Radio 2 in December 2023.
He explained: ‘I was doing an event at the O2 arena. I spent an hour after giving this lecture, turned to get off the stage, and didn’t realize I was leaving a part of the stage where there was nothing but a five-foot drop onto the concrete.
‘I broke my right leg in several places, my pelvis in four places and a bunch of ribs. I’m fine now. I’m without a stick now.
Stephen has previously praised the NHS and the care he received at Queen Elizabeth Woolwich after the fall and said the situation could have been much worse
‘It’s been good so far but I feel a bit shy without the stick. Beyond helping me walk, the cane serves as a flag for everyone around me. I live in central London where the pavements are completely packed. For this reason [this time of year] You get a little nervous about people stopping to take photos of the lights, or [pavement] It’s a bit slippery’.
Stephen also praised the NHS and the care he received at Queen Elizabeth Woolwich after the fall and said the situation could have been much worse.
He said: ‘The person who treated me said that on the same day as me he treated a patient who fell half the distance and was never able to walk again.
‘So I really praise my lucky stars. Who knows if it had a spine or a skull.’
Following the fall, Greenwich Council said it had been alerted to the incident and was considering launching an investigation.
