Isabella Perrin

Ricky Gervais says he plans to marry his long-term partner, author and television producer Jane Fallon, primarily to avoid a potential 40% inheritance tax on his estimated £141 million estate. The couple have lived together since the 1980s, share their finances and have never married or had children. Fallon also recently disclosed that she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and said her prognosis is excellent.

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating a suspected gas explosion at a domestic property on Cobb Hall Road in Newton Longville, Buckinghamshire. The blast occurred at 9:42 a.m. on Sunday and left one man hospitalized. Nearby residents were evacuated while SGN engineers conducted safety checks, and Thames Valley Police imposed road closures while the investigation continues.

Stephen Roth was fined £220 and given three penalty points after pleading guilty to driving at 87 mph in a 70 mph zone on the M4 near Maidenhead and Bracknell. Rodney Faul was fined £40 and given three penalty points for driving at 81 mph in a 70 mph zone; he also had to pay court costs and a surcharge. Faul avoided disqualification because of his health and the potential impact on his business partner.

A weekly roundup records ten cases heard at magistrates’ courts involving offences including speeding, driving without insurance or a licence, driving while disqualified, drink driving, shop theft and assault. Defendants received fines, penalty points, driving bans, community orders, unpaid-work requirements, restraining orders and other conditions.

Go Thames Valley is offering free bus travel throughout August to children aged five to 15 on participating services across parts of the Thames Valley and surrounding areas. The government-backed scheme excludes some routes, and children under 11 must travel with someone over 16. Go Thames Valley is also continuing its £3 adult fare cap and existing youth discounts, while related operators are promoting discounted sightseeing, tours and family attractions.

Office for National Statistics figures show that West Berkshire’s population grew by 0.37%—605 people—to 165,523, the lowest growth rate among Berkshire authorities. Population growth was also recorded in Slough, Reading, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, and Bracknell Forest. Across England and Wales, the population rose by 224,900, or 0.4%, to an estimated 62 million in mid-2025, the lowest growth rate since the pandemic. The slowdown was primarily attributed to reduced net international migration, which fell to 211,700 from 612,500 the previous year, while natural population increase was only 19,600.

Ten cases heard at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court involved theft, driving offences, failure to comply with sex offender notification requirements and assaulting a constable. Outcomes included community orders, compensation payments, fines, driving disqualification, unpaid work, rehabilitation requirements and a four-month prison sentence for attempted vehicle theft.