Ricky Gervais has put his flooding-prone home beside the River Thames on the market for £2.95million in yet another sign that he is putting his financial affairs in order.
The Office star revealed two weeks ago that he and his partner of 44 years Jane Fallon were finally marrying to avoid a massive inheritance bill when one of them dies first.
Gervais, 65, who had spent decades insisting that marriage was pointless, told of his change of heart about tying the knot just five months after Ms Fallon disclosed that she had breast cancer.
The comedian and actor who mainly lives in a £14.75 million nine-bed mansion in Hampstead, London, bought his riverside home which he described as his ‘little country retreat’ for £2.75 million in 2014.
He finally got council approval this year to demolish the four-bedroom house dating back to the 1920s and replace it with a Grand Designs-style mansion after a two-year planning battle.
But Gervais has decided to sell it now, potentially giving a buyer the choice of living in the existing detached house which has its own mooring and a tennis court, or knocking it down to build a new dream home.
Ricky Gervais has put his flood-prone River Thames home on the market for £2.95million
The Office star and comedian bought his ‘little country retreat’ for £2.75m in 2014
The house comes with approved plans for a new building with a 26ft-wide flood buffer zone along the Thames, and a ground floor raised by 3ft to help prevent flooding
Gervais and his partner of 44 years Jane Fallon are finally set to marry to avoid a massive inheritance bill when one of them dies first
Documents associated with his planning application revealed the property in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, had been flooded at least five times since 1947.
Gervais whose fortune is valued at £141 million in the Sunday Times Rich List even included CCTV pictures in his application, showing the main entrance of his house, his garage and back garden underwater when it was most recently flooded in 2024.
His plans to build a neo-Georgian mansion on the site were initially turned down in 2024 on the grounds that the project did not meet local and national guidelines.
But the plans were amended and were finally approved by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in April.
The approved plans for a new house include building a 26ft-wide flood buffer zone along the Thames and raising the ground floor by 3ft to help prevent flooding.
It will enable the house on the site to be replaced with a mansion boasting an entrance hall, gym, drawing room, reading area, lift and master bedroom with a terrace overlooking the tennis court and pond.
A planning agent acting for the After Life star had argued in a design statement that the current house in Marlow was of ‘poor design quality’ with a ‘disjointed internal layout’.
But property details drawn up by estate agents Savills are more enthusiastic, describing the existing house as being ‘a detached family home in an outstanding position’ with ‘generous’ car parking.
The details say: ‘An extraordinary opportunity to acquire a house on the river in Marlow with a private mooring. Options for living in the house as current, or rebuilding with full planning consent in place.’
Savills goes on to say that the house is in ‘a wonderfully private and secluded setting’ and in ‘a superb position on the banks of the River Thames, thoughtfully orientated to make the most of its exceptional riverside setting.’
The agent says: ‘Whilst the home is ready to be enjoyed, this property also presents an exciting opportunity with full planning permission granted for the replacement of the existing dwelling with a substantial four-bedroom home, together with a detached carport/store and associated works.
‘The extensive grounds are bordered by mature trees, creating a leafy backdrop and a strong sense of privacy.
‘To one side of the property lies an artificial-grass tennis court, while mature planting around the house softens the immediate landscape.
‘To the rear, expansive lawns are interspersed with thoughtfully arranged shrubs and specimen trees, including a magnificent mature willow, creating a picturesque riverside environment.
‘At the water’s edge, a private mooring provides direct access to the Thames, ideal for boating enthusiasts wishing to explore this celebrated stretch of river.
‘Views extend both upstream and downstream, as well as across the water to the verdant landscape of Lock Island.
‘Whether enjoying a morning coffee overlooking the water or an evening glass of wine as the sun sets across the river, the setting offers a rare sense of tranquillity and connection with the surrounding landscape.’
Pictures on the property details show aerial views of the existing house and what appear to be artist impressions of what the interior of the new build house could look like.
Gervais who once declared there was no reason to wed ‘before the eyes of God as there is no God’ surprised fans by announcing his marriage plans last month.
He revealed he intended to marry best-selling novelist Ms Fallon, 65, as doing so could prevent a hefty inheritance tax bill when one of them dies.
Estate agents describe the property as ‘a detached family home in an outstanding position’ with ‘generous’ car parking
The After Life star has a fortune valued at £141 million in the Sunday Times Rich List
Ms Fallon revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer
Asked whether tax was a good reason to wed, Gervais said: ‘It is. And that will be the reason I marry. But if it wasn’t for that… why? 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.’
Conceding he may need to make things official sooner rather than later, he told Saga magazine: ‘It’s horrible isn’t it? I’ve got to get around to marrying before I die.’
Unmarried couples do not benefit from an exemption that allows an estate to be passed to a surviving husband, wife or civil partner free of inheritance tax.
Without it, tax is charged at 40 per cent above the tax-free threshold of £325,000 which would be expensive for the creator of TV’s docu-soap parody The Office, who owns a property portfolio worth millions.
As well as his mansion in Hampstead, north-west London, and his home in Marlow, he also has two flats in New York.
Ms Fallon revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer.
She said at the time: ‘I had a routine mammogram a week before Christmas. I had no symptoms, but the brilliant radiographer spotted something iffy and sent me for tests and eventually a biopsy.
‘Since then I’ve had more mammograms, more biopsies and an MRI to pinpoint the problem area precisely.’ Ms Fallon, who had surgery in March and in April, added: ‘It’s been a lot, I’m not going to lie.’
Gervais and Ms Fallon met while studying at University College London in 1982 and moved into a flat above what he described as a ‘seedy sauna’ in King’s Cross two years later.
The couple decided neither to marry nor have children, with Ms Fallon saying that she had never fantasised about weddings or motherhood.
Gervais and Ms Fallon met while studying at University College London in 1982
Should the super-rich change their beliefs or values just to avoid hefty inheritance taxes?
Speaking on the Second Act podcast with Ateh Jewel earlier this year, she said: ‘When I was little – you know the cliche of a little girl is they imagine their wedding day and their wedding dress – it was none of that, ever. I would think about getting a dog or something.
‘It was always about work and my life. I would think about the flat that I would live in and stuff like that. But I was never into that kind of romance stuff.’
Gervais, meanwhile, has long maintained that they were already married ‘for all intents and purposes’, adding that their ‘fake marriage has lasted longer than a real one’.
A tax expert who asked not to be named said: ‘It makes huge financial sense for a wealthy couple to get married so that inheritance tax is avoided when one of them dies first and leaves their assets to the other one.
‘Having multiple properties can also complicate an individual’s affairs, not least because of the financial constraints of having a second home, such as paying capital gains tax when you sell up.
‘The fact that Ricky Gervais wants to sell up suggests he wants to put all his financial affairs in order, and slim down his portfolio.’
- Do YOU have a story? Email tips@dailymail.co.uk
