Bafta host Stephen Fry proudly showed off his chunky engagement ring today as he launched next month's awards.

It emerged earlier this week that the 57-year-old actor and broadcaster is to marry Elliott Spencer, who is 30 years his junior, in a register office ceremony in the market town of Dereham in Norfolk.

The Hobbit star ensured onlookers copped a load of the ring as he displayed it during his first public appearance since his forthcoming marriage was disclosed.

Fry was announcing the nominations for the Bafta film awards, which will be staged on February 8.

He was offered congratulations on the engagement during a live link to the Bafta HQ in London on BBC Breafast and responded by saying: "I'm very, very happy."

Fry conceded that he had hoped to keep it low-key, but added: "Once the cat's out of the bag ..."

The ceremony host said he was hoping to wear a high-tech bow-tie which would change its appearance at the flick of a switch.

He said it was being developed by Sony and he wished to wear it as a show of solidarity with the firm, whose film division has been targeted by hackers, causing embarrassment when private emails were exposed.

The incident also led to the cinema release of film The Interview being pulled, although this has now been reversed.