Ricky Gervais vows to marry partner of 30 years to dodge inheritance tax

The pair met when they were 21

11:34, 18 Aug 2026

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Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon

Ricky Gervais has shared his plans to marry his partner of 30 years - but not for a romantic reason. The 65-year-old comedian says he is likely to marry author Jane Fallon to ensure they are not hit by inheritance tax.

When you die, assets left to your spouse or civil partner, provided they're living in the UK, are exempt from inheritance tax. Speaking in a Saga magazine interview about wether this was a good reason to marry, Ricky replied: It is. And that will be the reason I marry. We havent done it yet.

"But if it wasnt for [tax] why? Its mad. How more married can you be? We share all our money, weve been living together for 40 years. Some marriages dont last a year. Its horrible isnt it? Ive got to get around to marrying, before I die.

As the Mirror reports, the pair met when they were both 21 at University College London and remain as close as ever. He said: We do everything together go for a walk every day, eat every meal, watch telly on the couch.

"We have our favourite 15 places in Europe my tour is around: Is there an arena in a wonderful city with a lovely five-star hotel? The night before the gig, we go out for a meal, then the next day we explore, I do the gig and we go home.

In March, Jane revealed shed been diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine mammogram, but the following month she announced two surgeries had "gone well". Asked about his own mortality, Ricky says it would take certain extreme circumstances for him to the Swiss assisted dying clinic Dignitas.

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Actor Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon

It would take quite a lot to get me there, he said. Id want every last breath. Its only if every breath hurts. Ricky, who recently launched his new animated series Alley Cats on Netflix, supports the Assisted Dying Bill, currently on hiatus until Parliament reassembles.

He added: Im pro-choice; its your life, you should be able to do what you want, but there are all these ridiculous conspiracy theories that people are too eager [to use its powers] that have spooked people [in the House of Lords to block it]."

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Ricky recently told The Mirror why his TV shows often have themes of mortality and life and death in them, including Alley Cats. He said: "Its always been important to me, ever since I first found out that this is all weve got: life is amazing, and then you die, so you better make the most of it. The first time a kid realises that death is forever is often when they lose a pet, and thats when you have to explain what death means.

"I really like the scene where the kitten sees a dead cat in the street, and it leads to a discussion about what death means: It means youll never see him again. But then we undercut it with, Actually, you probably will see him again, the bin men dont come around until Thursday, unless the fox gets him.

* The full interview with Gervais is in the September issue of Saga Magazine

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