# Jane Fallon
**Jane Fallon** (born 1960) is an English novelist and television producer, known for the shows *This Life*, *Teachers*, and *20 Things to Do Before You're 30*, and for bestselling comic novels about friendship, betrayal, and revenge beginning with *Getting Rid of Matthew* (2007).[1](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jane-fallon/) She is the longtime partner of comedian [Ricky Gervais](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-gervais).[2](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/jane-fallon/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960, Harrow, North London, England[3](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/jane-fallon/) |
| Education | History degree, University College London, graduated 1984[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fallon-jane-1960) |
| TV career | Producer on *EastEnders* from 1994; producer of *This Life* (1996–97), *Teachers* (2001–04), and *20 Things to Do Before You're 30* (2003)[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fallon-jane-1960) |
| Debut novel | *Getting Rid of Matthew* (2007), a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller and Richard & Judy Book Club pick[1](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jane-fallon/) |
| Output | 14 standalone novels from 2007 to *Welcome to the Neighbourhood* (15 January 2026)[3](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/jane-fallon/) |
| Sales | Over two million copies sold in the UK; over four million worldwide in more than 30 languages[6](https://www.penguin.com.au/authors/jane-fallon) • [7](https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/episode/jane-fallon-welcome-to-the-neighbourhood-talking-characters-creativity-and-the-books-that-shaped-her) |
| Recognition | *Worst Idea Ever* shortlisted for the 2022 British Book Award Page-turner of the Year[1](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jane-fallon/) |
## Television career
Fallon was born in Harrow in [North London](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-london) and attended St Bernard's Convent School in Slough before returning to London to read history at University College.[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about) Her first job was as a "Girl Friday" at a small theatrical and literary agency, the same job her character Rebecca holds in *Foursome*.[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about) She then moved into television as a freelance script reader and script editor, working on shows including *EastEnders*, where she was made a producer in 1994.[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about)
The following year she began producing the low-budget BBC2 drama *This Life*, and went on to produce *Teachers* and *20 Things to Do Before You're 30*.[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about) Encyclopedia.com lists her executive producer credits as also including *Undercover Heart* (1998), *Massive Landmarks of the 20th Century* (1999), and *Single* (2003).[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fallon-jane-1960) Her television work received BAFTA recognition: IMDb records four BAFTA Award nominations for her, and Encyclopedia.com notes that the miniseries *Undercover Heart*, which she produced, was nominated for a BAFTA.[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0266420/) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fallon-jane-1960)
## Novels
In 2006 Fallon decided to pursue her lifelong ambition of writing a novel. She had the idea for *Getting Rid of Matthew* during one sleepless night and handed in her notice the next day, giving herself a year to get it published.[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about) Penguin bought the book, which was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club and became a national bestseller in 2007.[5](https://janefallonauthor.com/about) It sold more than 250,000 copies.[9](https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-jane-fallon-author-tv-producer-49-1919242.html)
Her subsequent novels, all standalones, are *Got You Back* (2008), *Foursome* (2010), *The Ugly Sister* (2011), *Skeletons* (2014), *Strictly Between Us* (2016), *My Sweet Revenge* (2017), *Faking Friends* (2018), *Tell Me A Secret* (2019), *Queen Bee* (2020), *Worst Idea Ever* (2021), *Just Got Real* (2022), *Over Sharing* (2023), and *Welcome to the Neighbourhood* (2026).[1](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jane-fallon/) By 2022 her novels had sold over one million copies in the UK alone.[10](https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40900796.html)
**Themes and reception.** Fallon's books center on female friendship, betrayal, and revenge. Penguin's 2023 audio catalog called her "the Queen of Revenge Comedy" and described *Over Sharing* as a novel about an Instagram influencer who broke up the protagonist's marriage, exploring how much a person can hide behind an online persona.[11](https://wp.penguin.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/PRH-Audio-Spring-Summer-Highlights-2023.pdf) *Just Got Real* is about online dating, in which three middle-aged women discover they are all dating the same man.[10](https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40900796.html) Her latest novel, *Welcome to the Neighbourhood*, follows Kitty and Grace as they navigate friendship and secrets behind suburban doors; in an interview she said, "I'm fascinated by friends and friendship groups, and I think you know who your real friends are by how they act when something good happens to you."[12](https://pocketmags.com/ca/woman-and-home-magazine/february-2026/articles/in-conversation-with-jane-fallon)
Reviewers have consistently emphasized wit and edge: the *Daily Mail* called one book "Compelling, edgy, beautifully written" and another "Brilliant, original, and edgy," *Heat* called one "Women's fiction at its very best," and *Elle* praised one as "Sparkling and unpredictable. Brilliant."[13](https://janefallonauthor.com/books) Three of her novels have been Richard & Judy Book Club picks: *Getting Rid of Matthew* (2007 Summer), *Queen Bee* (2020 Summer), and *Over Sharing* (2024 Spring).[3](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/jane-fallon/)
**Adaptations.** Her books are repeatedly optioned for television, but as of 2022 none had been made into a TV drama.[10](https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40900796.html) In 2011, *Getting Rid of Matthew* was in development with Universal and [Jennifer Aniston](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-aniston)'s production company, Echo Films.[14](https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/work/jane-fallon-2011-mentor-213070)
## Personal life
Fallon met Ricky Gervais while studying at [University College London](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-college-london), and the two have been longtime partners.[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fallon-jane-1960) • [2](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/jane-fallon/) In March 2026 she announced on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram the previous December; she described it as very early stage with an excellent prognosis and was scheduled for surgery that month.[15](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/jane-fallon-ricky-gervais-cancer-b2937493.html)
## References
1. [Jane Fallon, Fantastic Fiction](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/jane-fallon/)
2. [Jane Fallon, Hachette Book Group](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/jane-fallon/)
3. [Jane Fallon, Book Notification](https://www.booknotification.com/authors/jane-fallon/)
4. [Fallon, Jane 1960–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fallon-jane-1960)
5. [About — Jane Fallon](https://janefallonauthor.com/about)
6. [Jane Fallon, Penguin Books Australia](https://www.penguin.com.au/authors/jane-fallon)
7. [Jane Fallon: Welcome to the Neighbourhood, Best Book Forward podcast](https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/episode/jane-fallon-welcome-to-the-neighbourhood-talking-characters-creativity-and-the-books-that-shaped-her)
8. [Jane Fallon, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0266420/)
9. [My Secret Life: Jane Fallon, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-jane-fallon-author-tv-producer-49-1919242.html)
10. ['I found the thing I loved': Jane Fallon on leaving television, Irish Examiner](https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40900796.html)
11. [Penguin Audio Spring/Summer Highlights 2023](https://wp.penguin.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/PRH-Audio-Spring-Summer-Highlights-2023.pdf)
12. [In conversation with Jane Fallon, Woman & Home, February 2026](https://pocketmags.com/ca/woman-and-home-magazine/february-2026/articles/in-conversation-with-jane-fallon)
13. [Books — Jane Fallon](https://janefallonauthor.com/books)
14. [Jane Fallon – 2011 Mentor, Marie Claire UK](https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/work/jane-fallon-2011-mentor-213070)
15. [Jane Fallon to undergo surgery after revealing breast cancer diagnosis, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/jane-fallon-ricky-gervais-cancer-b2937493.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Literature and written works › Writers and literary biographies › Fiction writers: novelists and genre › Romance and popular fiction writers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license