Best-selling author Jane Fallon, the longtime partner of comedian Ricky Gervais, has shared that she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer following a routine mammogram. She described the situation as challenging but emphasized the excellent prognosis and her upcoming surgery. Fallon made the announcement on social media to explain her recent quiet period.
Jane Fallon, known for her work as a best-selling author and partner to Ricky Gervais since 1982, disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis in a social media post. The revelation came after a routine mammogram a week before Christmas detected something unusual, leading to further tests including additional mammograms, biopsies, and an MRI. Fallon noted that she had no symptoms at the time of the initial screening.
In her post, accompanied by a photo of herself headlined 'bit of news...(no one panic)', Fallon wrote: 'About a month ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer - very early stage thankfully & the prognosis is excellent.' She added that the process had been 'a lot' but her surgery was scheduled for the week after next, and she was focusing on audiobooks and jigsaws while receiving excellent care. To lighten the mood, she shared images of a teddy bear in a blue stethoscope as 'Dr Eric' and her cat in a purple nurse's uniform as 'Nurse Pickle', joking about lunch time.
The couple, who met at University College London and have never married, have described their relationship as a 'fake marriage' that has lasted longer than many real ones. Gervais, who often mentions Fallon in interviews, has not yet commented publicly on the diagnosis. The news carries an added layer of poignancy given Gervais's Netflix series Afterlife, which he created, directed, and starred in from 2019 to 2022. The show centers on a man grappling with grief after his wife's death from breast cancer.
Fallon explained in a 2018 Daily Mail interview that marriage was not a priority for them, stating: 'We’re not married because neither of (us) are fussed.' Gervais echoed this sentiment in an interview with The Times, noting there was no need for a ceremony 'before the eyes of God because there is no God.'
