George Gilbey, a Gogglebox personality and participant in Celebrity Big Brother, passed away following a workplace fall. He was 40 years old.
Yesterday, Essex Police responded to an incident near Southend-on-Sea following a report of a man falling from a height. The individual involved was confirmed to be Gilbey by the Channel 4 Gogglebox X account, as reported by the BBC. An air ambulance rushed to the scene.
Meanwhile, Essex police announced the arrest of a man linked to the death of Gilbey. “This is a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive and our inquiries are ongoing,” a spokesperson for the Essex told the BBC.
“George was part of the Gogglebox family for eight series alongside his mum Linda and step-dad Pete,” C4 Gogglebox tweeted. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Linda, and George’s family and friends at this very sad time. The family have asked for privacy.”
Sadly, Gilbey’s stepfather, Peter McGarry, who appeared with him on the show, passed away in 2021 at the age of 71.
‘Gogglebox’ Continues to be a Popular UK Show Years After George Gilbey’s Departure
Gilbey was a prominent regular on the Channel 4 hit series, featuring alongside his stepdad and mom, Linda Gilbey, for a five-year stint. This trio added warmth and charm as beloved contributors to Studio Lambert’s program, where ordinary families nationwide shared their opinions on weekly TV shows, often leading to humorous outcomes. Even six years post-Gilbey’s departure, the show remains one of Channel 4’s top-rated series.
Early in his Gogglebox tenure, Gilbey participated in Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother, ultimately securing fourth place. However, he wasn’t just a TV personality. Gilbey also worked as an electrician, as stated on LinkedIn, and concurrently managed his own enterprise, WindG Ltd, based in Clacton.
Co-Stars and Friends Pay Tribute to George Gilbey
Former Geordie Shore star Ricci Guarnaccio, who was on Celebrity Big Brother with Gilbey, honored his friend on X (formerly Twitter). “You are well and truly going to be missed my friend,” he wrote. “Always lit up the room, cared for others and the memories we made I’ll cherish forever brother.” Guarnaccio mentioned that they had a conversation with each other the previous week.
Former EastEnders actress Daniella Westbrook posted a picture of Gilbey on Instagram. “Goodnight, my darling friend George. I’m absolutely gutted,” she wrote alongside the image.