Ricky Gervais has announced that he intends to wed his long-term partner Jane Fallon after more than four decades together, driven by the desire to shield their combined £142million fortune from inheritance tax.
The comedian, 65, has famously spent years dismissing the institution of marriage, once declaring there was no point in marrying “before the eyes of God as there is no God”.
Yet in an interview with Saga Magazine, the creator of The Office confirmed the prospect of a substantial tax bill upon either partner’s death had succeeded where sentiment could not.
Ms Fallon, a bestselling novelist also aged 65, was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, lending added urgency to the couple’s financial planning.
Mr Gervais confirmed tax was the sole motivation behind his change of heart.
He said: “It is (the reason). And that will be the reason I marry. We haven’t done it yet. But if it wasn’t for (tax) why?”
The comedian questioned why a ceremony would add anything to a relationship spanning four decades.
“It’s mad. How more married can you be? We share all our money; we’ve been living together for 40 years. Some marriages don’t last a year,” he told the publication.
He also acknowledged time was a factor, conceding: “It’s horrible, isn’t it? ‘I’ve got to get around to marrying before I die.'”
Mr Gervais has long insisted the pair were effectively married already, previously quipping their “fake marriage has lasted longer than a real one”.
The financial stakes for the couple are significant.
Unmarried partners do not qualify for the spouse exemption, which permits an estate to pass to a surviving husband or wife without attracting inheritance tax.
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In the absence of marriage, a 40 per cent levy can apply to assets exceeding the available tax-free threshold.
For Mr Gervais, whose personal wealth is estimated at £141million, the potential bill would be enormous.
Ms Fallon’s own net worth stands at approximately £1.3million.
The comedian’s property holdings alone are worth millions, encompassing a £14.75million nine-bedroom mansion in Hampstead, two apartments in New York, and a riverside property in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
At the Bucks site, he recently secured planning permission for a £5million neo-Georgian new build featuring a galleried landing, home gym, lift, and terrace overlooking a tennis court.
Ms Fallon’s breast cancer was detected early through a routine mammogram.
In April, she shared an encouraging update, revealing surgeons had “basically got it all” during an initial operation to excise the tumour along with a margin of healthy tissue, followed by a successful second procedure.
The couple first met as students at University College London in 1982 and moved into a flat above what Mr Gervais has described as a “seedy sauna” in King’s Cross two years later.
They chose together to forgo both marriage and children.
Ms Fallon has spoken openly about her indifference to wedding traditions.
“When I was little, you know the cliché of a little girl is they imagine their wedding day and their wedding dress… it was none of that, ever,” she said on the Second Act podcast with Ateh Jewel.
“I would think about getting a dog or something.”
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