Ricky Gervais donates £2.5m of tour proceeds to animal charities

A big gesture from the animal lover

The charities to benefit from his donations, 22 in total, are two from Kent, Flori's Friends Animal Rescue in Chartham Hatch and Retreat Animal Rescue in High Halden, and Safe Haven for Donkeys in Haywards Heath in West Sussex.

According to Gervais, these donations were “to celebrate the spirit of Christmas”.

“These are the lovely charities I've chosen. Merry Xmas, critters”, the 64-year-old comedian wrote on his Facebook account.

And he says he took advice from his mum, who “always used to say you can’t take it with you”.

“No I can't mum. But I could've bought 30 speedboats and raced them round the Med with my mates. Anyway. Too late now”, he joked.

The Office and Extras star had done a similar deed two years ago.

He gave nearly £2m to charity in 2023, after a previous tour.

The founder of Flori's Friends Rescue, Natalia George, told BBC Radio Kent that “this is absolutely incredible news.”

Animals with broken spines are helped by supplying them with wheelchairs in the charity’s paralysed dog rescue centre.

“Ricky has made such a difference to so many paralysed dogs”, she added.

On the other hand, the CEO of Safe Haven for Donkeys, Andy Foxcroft, said that “Ricky's generosity comes at a time of exceptional pressure for our teams supporting donkeys in Gaza and the West Bank”.

Four charities will receive £150,000, 17 charities will receive £100,000, and the remaining £132,000 will be donated to Nowzad.