Ricky Gervais has placed his £2.95 million home on the banks of the River Thames on the market, a move that follows his recent announcement that he and his partner of 44 years, Jane Fallon, are planning to marry. The sale of the property, which Gervais described as his "little country retreat," comes as the couple aims to structure their financial affairs, with avoiding potential inheritance tax being a significant factor.
Gervais, 65, who has been with Fallon for 44 years, revealed two weeks ago that they intended to marry. This marks a change of heart for the comedian, who previously expressed skepticism about the institution of marriage. The decision to wed comes just five months after Fallon disclosed her diagnosis with breast cancer.
The property in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, was purchased by Gervais for £2.75 million in 2014. Despite living primarily in a nine-bedroom mansion in Hampstead, London, he had plans to demolish the existing four-bedroom house, dating back to the 1920s, and replace it with a new, larger home. These plans were approved in April of this year by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, following a two-year planning dispute. The approved design includes a 26-foot-wide flood buffer zone and a ground floor raised by three feet to mitigate flooding, which documents reveal has affected the property at least five times since 1947.
The estate agents marketing the property describe it as a "detached family home in an outstanding position" with ample parking and direct access to the Thames via a private mooring. The listing offers potential buyers the option to live in the existing house or proceed with the approved plans for a new build.
Gervais, whose fortune is estimated at £141 million by the Sunday Times Rich List, has stated that avoiding inheritance tax is a primary reason for his upcoming marriage. Unmarried couples are not eligible for the tax exemption that allows estates to pass between spouses tax-free. Without this exemption, assets exceeding the £325,000 threshold are subject to a 40 percent inheritance tax. This financial consideration is particularly relevant given Gervais's property portfolio, which includes his Hampstead mansion, the Marlow home, and two flats in New York.
Fallon revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, undergoing surgery in March and April. The couple met in 1982 while studying at University College London.
A tax expert noted that for a wealthy couple, marriage makes significant financial sense to avoid inheritance tax. The sale of the Marlow property may also indicate Gervais's intention to streamline his financial holdings.
