The Office star beats Ricky Gervais and Peter Kay as UK's richest comedian
An iconic BBC star has officially earned the title of the UK's highest-paid comedian, beating Peter Kay and even Ricky Gervais with their incredible fortune.
Stephen Merchant boasts a staggering net worth of £26.6 million, according to reports. The 48-year-old, who is best known for co-writing The Office, has enjoyed huge financial success with his subsequent TV shows, The Outlaws and Life's Too Short. He is believed to now be richer than Ricky Gervais, who is understood to have a cool £24.4 million in assets. Peter Kay comes in third, with an estimated £22 million to his name.
It's understood Stephen's income comes mainly from his numerous TV production businesses, with his main company, SJJM LTD, worth over £25 million in assets alone. The Bristol comic's enterprise has only increased its value in the past year, jumping by £3million between 2021 and 2022.
Stephen Merchant is understood to be the highest earning comedian in the UK (GETTY)Stephen shut down rumours that he was worth £40 million in 2017, slamming the report as "FAKE NEWS!" He also claimed he was worth "much less" than the speculated figure, but did not elaborate on how much he actually does have in the bank.
It was reported last year by the Daily Mail that Stephen's SJJM company, which he founded in 2002, accumulated profits of over £4 million in 2022 alone. Today, Merchant lives in the rustic LA neighbourhood of Nichols Canyon, in a lavish home that was previously owned by fellow comedian Ellen DeGeneres. It's understood the gorgeous property, which he shares with his partner, has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as a swimming pool and breath-taking views of the city. Stephen also has a residence in the affluent area of Hampstead, North London, which is also the postcode of his The Office co-creator, Ricky Gervais.
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While he may be flying high now, the Four Lives actor hasn't always had such a swish lifestyle. It's understood he grew up in a working class family in Bristol and recalls being amazed by the wealth of other families when was younger.
"I knew people growing up," the 35-year-old told the Telegraph in 2010. "I remember going to a party once at someone’s house and they had a pool. I thought, these people must be Richard Branson!" His rags to riches story hasn't changed his tastes too much, however. The Extras star refuted any rumours he'd been changed dramatically by his fame and fortune, insisting he hasn't suddenly adopted a lavish lifestyle because of his financial success.
"There is this weird idea that you get a bit of money or success and suddenly your life is endlessly being carried around in a sedan chair just throwing caviar away. It isn’t," he added.
Stephen has also admitted to being "socially awkward" in adolescence, describing himself as a "teenage geek" who "wore glasses" and "collected comic books."
"For a while I took to wearing a bow tie, couldn’t understand why I didn’t have a girlfriend," he said in 2019.
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