Ricky Gervais wins two-year battle to build £5m mansion

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After a two-year struggle, Ricky Gervais has been approved to build his £5 million riverside home. However, he had to pay £10,000 to offset the environmental impact of the construction.

The 64-year-old comedian and actor plans to tear down his current house, which has been damaged by flooding, and build a new, larger one in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The new home will include a gym and a tennis court.

Okay, so this client of mine ran into a real roadblock with his project. The council rejected his initial proposal, primarily because they felt it wasn’t suitable for a flood-prone area. They also needed a lot more detail about how the development would address climate change concerns – basically, they wanted to see a solid plan for mitigating any potential environmental impact. It was a bit frustrating, but definitely fixable with some adjustments and more comprehensive information.

Gervais updated his plans, increasing the height of the ground floor by three feet, and committed to paying £10,584 to the council’s Carbon Offset Fund.

The development has been approved by planners, as no one living nearby raised any concerns.

In 2024, Gervais initially requested permission to demolish his house, which he described as poorly designed, and replace it with a new one. However, local council officials rejected the plans, citing concerns about possible flooding.

The actor, known for his roles in ‘The After Life’ and ‘The Office’, updated his building plans, removing a planned extension and making the outdoor staircase smaller.

This newly built home, designed in a classic yet updated style, features a stunning entrance hall and an open gallery landing. It includes a home gym, a formal drawing room, a cozy reading nook, and a lift for easy access. The master bedroom is particularly special, with its own terrace offering views of the existing tennis court and pond.

Before construction can begin, Gervais needs to get a special permit from Natural England, the conservation group, because a bat colony has been discovered living in the building’s attic.

As part of a plan to protect local bats, he’s required to construct a dedicated bat house inside his new garage and install two additional bat boxes on trees nearby.

As part of the planning permission granted by Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council, he’s also required to create a 26-foot-wide space along the River Thames to act as a buffer.

Ricky Gervais owns a large nine-bedroom home in Hampstead, northwest London, worth £14.75 million. The property includes a spa and gym, and he also has two apartments in New York.

Roxy throws a hen do hoedown 

Comedian Jack Whitehall’s bachelor party involved a six-hour pub crawl in Soho with friends like James Corden and Jamie Redknapp, and he admitted he doesn’t remember much of it.

His bride-to-be, Roxy Horner, was, however, determined no one would forget her hen do. 

The 34-year-old model arrived at the Hippodrome Casino in a pink limousine with seven friends, including Jack’s sister, Molly. They were there to see the Magic Mike show on London’s West End. During the show, Roxy even went on stage while one of the dancers performed around her.

The group also enjoyed a private dance class with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk from Strictly Come Dancing. Luba shared a photo online with a playful message, hoping her choreography would be featured during their upcoming event.

 

James McAvoy, known for his roles in Hollywood thrillers like the X-Men movies, is accustomed to seeing himself on the big screen.

But the Scottish actor, 46, is still self-conscious about his image.

He jokes that it’s frustrating when his iPhone shows him old photos – like ones from seven or eight years ago – through the phone’s Memories feature, which resurfaces pictures on their anniversaries. He appreciates the reminder, but also finds it annoying.

 

Danny Dyer feeling short-changed by West Ham owners 

Some West Ham fans have criticized owner David Sullivan and Karren Brady for being cheap, and it seems they’ve extended that approach to their players. Star player and captain Jarrod Bowen was reportedly required to pay out of pocket if he wanted to host friends and family at the London Stadium.

‘Jarrod and I went halves on a [private hospitality] box – the club didn’t give their captain one for free,’ reveals his father-in-law, the television star Danny Dyer, whose daughter Dani married Bowen last year. And it hasn’t been the best investment, with the Hammers in the relegation places.

Starting as a season ticket holder right now isn’t ideal, according to Dyer. While you can enjoy all the perks, it’s hard to fully enjoy the experience if the team isn’t performing well – it can really dampen the excitement.

Thyra’s job news fails to impress

Thyra Goldsmith, the daughter of Lord Zac Goldsmith and Sheherazade, recently named one of Tatler magazine’s most eligible young people, is now pursuing a career in fashion.

I heard a 24-year-old woman landed a really competitive PR internship with Christian Dior in London, but her friends aren’t very happy about it.

Thyra enjoyed telling people she’d be working in fashion PR at Christian Dior. But she often found that people would respond by saying someone they knew had done the same job and didn’t like it at all.

Mary Berry’s close call  

I’m absolutely fascinated by Meghan Markle’s love for those edible flower sprinkles she’s selling – they’re so pretty! It’s funny though, I just read that even the amazing Mary Berry had a bit of a mishap once, and nearly created a recipe that could have been dangerous with flowers. It just goes to show, even the best of us have kitchen mishaps!

She was decorating for a TV show and had the idea to use tiny daffodils. But someone on set quickly researched them and warned her – they’re actually poisonous! She realized she needed to make sure they wouldn’t harm anyone.

 

King Charles generally handles diplomatic situations with both successes and setbacks, but Rear Admiral Chris Parry thinks he overstepped last week when he met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the president of Syria, who has a history as a fighter with ties to Al Qaeda.

Before being welcomed to Britain and meeting the King, individuals should first demonstrate genuine regret and take time to reflect on their actions, according to the former commander of the Falklands conflict.

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2026-04-07 04:19