Actor Stephen Fry has revealed his participation in a viral advertising stunt for charity Missing People, after legions of fans reacted with indignation at his promotion of a ‘broken’ audiobook.
Earlier this week, Fry announced he had narrated a new audiobook podcast, ‘The Missing Lines’ by upcoming author M.S. Singh, promising his fans a dark mystery about the ruthless world of county lines drug running.
Fry enthusiasts reacted with dismay however upon discovering that the audiobook cuts out after 2 minutes and 48 seconds, leaving nine chapters of complete silence.
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In a reveal video, Fry can be heard saying: “I can assure you that your listening device isn’t broken. Sadly, the rest of the story is missing. For you that would probably mean something like frustration – the break in Marcus’s story being a possible mistake or just something to ruin your day.
“But when a person goes missing in real life, their loved ones are left with unimaginable loss. I, myself went missing at a time of crisis in my life, but I was fortunate enough to be reunited with my loved ones. Not everyone gets that reunion…When someone disappears, they become invisible and many come to harm. It’s life or death.”
He continued: “The charity Missing People exists to connect everyone who is missing to safety and to give them and those who miss them, hope. To find out more and ways that you can help – so that no-one’s story is left incomplete – please visit the website www.missingpeople.org.uk/missinglines.”
The star revealed this morning that the error was completely intentional, and was designed to raise awareness about missing people, comparing the impact of their loss to a ‘story without end’.
The charity’s campaign comes at a crucial time, with a person currently going missing every 90 seconds in the UK. Fry even refers to the issue as a ‘national crisis’.
Missing People CEO, Jo Youle added: “Over a million people a year in the UK either go missing, or are impacted by their loved ones going missing, so we are incredibly grateful to Stephen for bringing this seismic issue to life in such a unique way.
“As the UK’s only charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people with their loved ones, our work needs continued support so if you’ve been moved by our Missing Lines campaign, please visit our website to find out how you can help.”
