It has been confirmed that Stephen Fry will provide the voice of the Guide in the movie adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Fry was more than happy to accept the role, saying: "As a friend of Douglas's and a besotted fan of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, being asked to do the voice of The Guide is like having your birthday on Christmas Day, discovering a winning lottery ticket in your stocking and having chocolate poured all over you."

The Sun quotes executive producer Robbie Stamp as saying: "Casting the voice of The Guide is one of the single most important pieces of the jigsaw and I know that Douglas would have been delighted with the choice of Stephen Fry.

"His humour and intelligence are perfect for the voice of The Guide."

Fry joins fellow cast members Alan Rickman, John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Bill Nighy and Richard Griffiths.

The movie will be released in the UK on May 6.