Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 18
Ricky Gervais Says 40% UK Inheritance Tax Could Push Him to Marry Jane Fallon
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 18

Ricky Gervais Says 40% UK Inheritance Tax Could Push Him to Marry Jane Fallon

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 18

Summary

  • After more than 40 years with Jane Fallon, Ricky Gervais said the UK’s inheritance tax is the main reason he would finally marry, telling Saga Magazine, “If it wasn't for tax... why?”
  • The trigger is a 40% levy on estates above £325,000, while legally married couples can pass assets to each other free of inheritance tax; cohabiting couples do not get that exemption.
  • Gervais said he and Fallon already share their money and have lived together since 1982, arguing marriage would change little beyond avoiding the tax bill.
  • The remarks came months after Fallon disclosed early-stage breast cancer and said she had undergone two surgeries, adding urgency to Gervais’s comments about marrying “before I die.”
  • In the same interview, Gervais also said cancel culture had “peaked,” arguing it hit workers such as teachers and nurses harder than comedians who can still sell millions of tickets.

Insights

Why does the UK penalize devoted cohabiting couples with massive inheritance tax bills compared to legally married ones?
Could a massive wealth tax force one of comedy's biggest rebels into a traditional marriage after 40 years?