Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Geneva Abdul

Gogglebox star George Gilbey died of injuries from skylight fall, inquest hears

George Gilbey poses for a photo in front of people holding signs for their favourite contestants in Celebrity Big Brother
George Gilbey at Elstree Studios during the Celebrity Big Brother TV show in 2014. Photograph: James Shaw/Rex/Shutterstock

The Gogglebox star George Gilbey died from traumatic injuries to the head and torso after falling from a height at work, an inquest has heard.

The 40-year-old reality TV star died after an accident at work in Shoeburyness, Essex, on 27 March. His provisional cause of death has been recorded as “traumatic injury to head and torso consistent with fall from height”.

The inquest on Monday was opened and closed by the Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes, pending the outcome of a criminal investigation. In March a man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the death.

Gilbey fell through a skylight while working on a roof, the inquest in Chelmsford was told. A postmortem examination found the traumatic injuries to his head and torso were consistent with a fall from height.

Gilbey had been “working on a roof when he fell through a plastic skylight and landed on the ground below”, the coroner’s officer Deborah Frost told the hearing. Paramedics and police attended but Gilbey died at the scene, she said.

Gilbey was best known for appearing on the Channel 4 series alongside his mother, Linda McGarry, and stepfather, Pete McGarry. The latter died in 2021. Gilbey also appeared in the 14th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, reaching the final.

Brookes said he had received a written request from Essex police to suspend inquest proceedings pending the outcome of a criminal investigation, which he granted. Brookes said he would adjourn proceedings for four months.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.