Jane Fallon, the long-term partner of Ricky Gervais and bestselling author, has revealed she is completely recovered from early-stage breast cancer. The 65-year-old was diagnosed in December 2025 after a routine mammogram and has now shared that she is cancer-free, though she continues to experience exhaustion from the medication tamoxifen.⁠

Diagnosis and Initial Treatment

Fallon publicly announced the diagnosis on 12 March 2026, describing it as very early stage with an excellent prognosis. A radiographer had spotted something iffy during the screening a week before Christmas, leading to further tests, biopsies and an MRI.

She underwent surgery in March, followed by a second procedure in April. After the second operation, she said her surgeons had achieved the necessary clear margins and that her oncologist agreed the risks of radiotherapy outweighed the benefits in her case.

Full Recovery and Tamoxifen Side Effects

Fallon and Gervais met at University College London in 1982 and have been together for more than four decades.

Writing on social media, she said: 'Even though I'm completely recovered now the one main side effect of the tamoxifen so far seems to be exhaustion and a need to fall asleep out of the blue, so I sneaked home before I disgraced myself by being found snoring in a corner.'

She had left early from a thoroughly lovely evening with a roomful of fabulous women, later posting a photo with her cat Pickle and wondering whether to eat vegan mac and cheese in bed. In her original diagnosis post on X she wrote: 'About a month ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer – very early stage thankfully and the prognosis is excellent.'⁠

Tamoxifen is a hormone therapy used to treat certain types of breast cancer and may be prescribed after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. Fallon had previously expressed concern about potential side effects and said she was considering medication or a wait-and-see approach. Her latest update confirms that she is taking tamoxifen and experiencing exhaustion, which she identified as its main side effect so far.

Read more

Background and Key Details

Fallon, born on 9 December 1960, is the author of 14 books, including Getting Rid of Matthew and Welcome to the Neighbourhood. She and Gervais met at University College London in 1982 and have been together for more than four decades.

Fallon said her cancer was detected during a routine mammogram despite having no symptoms. She has since reported that she is completely recovered, although she continues to experience exhaustion while taking tamoxifen.

Beyond her writing career, Fallon has frequently shared glimpses of her personal life on social media, where she keeps fans updated on her activities and milestones.

Fallon is also known for her contemporary fiction, with novels that often explore relationships, family tensions and personal dilemmas. Her writing career has run alongside her long-term relationship with Gervais, who is known for his work as a comedian, actor and creator of television series including The Office.

The couple have largely kept their private life out of the spotlight while occasionally sharing personal updates with the public.

Read more