Fallon, Jane 1960–

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Fallon, Jane 1960–

PERSONAL:

Born December 9, 1960; partner of Ricky Gervais (a comedian). Education: Graduated from University College London, 1984.

ADDRESSES:

Home— England.

CAREER:

Writer and television producer. Executive producer for television programs, including EastEnders,1994,This Life,1996-97,Undercover Heart,1998,Massive Landmarks of the 20th Century,1999,Teachers,2001-04,Single,2003, and 20 Things to Do before You're 30,2003.

WRITINGS:

Getting Rid of Matthew(novel), Voice/Hyperion (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor to television series,20 Things to Do before You're 30,2002.

SIDELIGHTS:

Jane Fallon is a writer and television producer in England. In 1984 Fallon graduated from University College London with a degree in history and met her life partner, Golden Globe-winning comedian Ricky Gervais, while studying. She made her producing debut in 1994, producing one episode of the long-running British drama,EastEnders. She moved on to produce the popular drama This Life for the major part of its two seasons in 1996 and 1997.

The show was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for best drama series in 1997 and 1998. The following year,Undercover Heart, a television miniseries Fallon produced, was also nominated for a BAFTA award. She followed this with producing the six-episode Massive Landmarks of the 20th Century in 1999. By 2001 Fallon began work on Teachers, serving as executive producer for all forty episodes of its four-season run. The show was nominated for a 2003 BAFTA award for best drama series. In 2003 Fallon created and wrote for an eight-episode drama series about a group of people and the unique tasks they set to achieve in their lives before reaching the age of thirty, called 20 Things to Do before You're 30. She also served as executive producer for three of the episodes. She also worked as an executive producer that same year on Single.

After Teachers ended, Fallon retired from television and began writing her first novel. In 2007 she published Getting Rid of Matthew. Receptionist Helen thought that she got exactly what she wanted when her boss leaves his wife and moves in with her after their long-running affair. Helen, however, finds out that he is not quite what she thought he was and tries to convince the wife to take him back by assuming a pseudonym when dealing with her.

Reviews for Fallon's debut novel were mixed. Annie Barrett, writing in Entertainment Weekly, described Helen's persona as "pathetic, hilarious, and relatable all at once." A contributor to Publishers Weekly found the novel to be a "delightfully fizzy chick lit caper," but found that it "goes disappointingly flat before the finish." A contributor to Kirkus Reviews likewise wrote that "Fallon's debut is sharp enough, but a languishing plot dulls the author's wit." The same contributor, however, noted that Helen is "memorable" and "the dialogue pops." Terry Miller Shannon, writing on Bookreporter.com, called Getting Rid of Matthew "an absorbing read." Shannon concluded that "Helen came to feel like a flawed yet lovable friend, and I began to care about what happened in her life. The plot moves along at a quick clip, incorporating unexpected twists and nearly unbearable suspense, making this enjoyable book a page-turner."