Stephen Fry has said he is "very, very happy" to be marrying his partner.

The 57-year-old has given formal notice to wed Elliott Spencer, 27, at a register office in Dereham, Norfolk, near to where he grew up.

Fry's personal assistant said it was a private matter, adding: "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."

Writing on Twitter, the presenter said: "Oh. 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!"

Fry, who has spoken openly about his struggles with drug abuse and depression, has largely kept his love life private, although he reportedly separated from a long-term partner five years ago.

In his latest autobiography, More Fool Me, the actor admitted taking cocaine in Buckingham Palace at the height of his addiction.

He includes a long list of venues where he took the drug - the House of Commons, BBC Television Centre and various private members' clubs.

Fry said he took the drug over 15 years until 2001 and spent "tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of pounds, and as many hours, sniffing, snorting and tooting away time".

He has also spoken openly about a suicide attempt in 2012 which saw him take "a huge number of pills and a huge (amount) of vodka" while filming a documentary about homophobia around the world.

Fry first found fame as part of a double act with Hugh Laurie after the pair met at university.

They appeared in their own long-running show as well as in the Blackadder series and a TV adaptation of the Jeeves and Wooster novels.

He has also produced a string of documentaries, novels and memoirs and hosts the panel show QI.

There have also been occasional film and theatre roles including a notably short-lived appearance in the West End play Cell Mates which he quit after three days, pleading stage fright.

He later said the incident was an early public example of his struggles with depression.

Fry, who grew up in Norfolk, is an enthusiastic fan of Norwich City football club and joined the board of directors at Carrow Road in 2010.