George Gilbey’s extremely sad mother has talked about her extreme sadness after her son passed away.
Last week, a former star of Gogglebox Gogglebox star Gilbey died at the age of 40 in an unusual accident at work in Essex after where he fell 80 feet through a skylight, with a a man was arrested and then let go and in connection with his death. Following this, his mom Linda McGarry, who is 74 years old, has paid tribute to him.
‘I’m extremely saddened, he was like my closest friend,’ she said.
‘He had the kindest heart. He was generous, funny and kind, with lots of charm and a lot of personality.
‘He achieved a lot in his 40 years, more than most people do in 90 – he even had dinner with the Prince of Dubai.’
He passed away at work last week
George’s stepfather Pete passed away at 71 in 2021 shortly after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Linda also told the
Swindon Advertiser that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and her son had a hard time with the news. ‘I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and George took it harder than me. He was very close to me,’ she shared.
She also mentioned that even though he became famous very quickly, he wasn’t interested in fame, and instead used his public image for charity work.
He previously appeared on the Channel 4 show with Linda and stepfather Pete McGarry (Picture: Jude Edington)
Linda described her granddaughter as being Gilbey’s ‘absolute world’ and that he ‘lived for that little girl and his mom’.
She went on to explain that her son was a ‘real contradiction’ and was ‘so funny and so intelligent’.
‘He was smart, which allowed him to be quick-witted and he was loud and outgoing, but at the same time very sensitive. He helped others, but he struggled himself,’ she added.
His stepfather Pete died in 2021 (Picture: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for St Joseph’s Hospice and Haven House Children’s Hospice)
The family returned to Gogglebox in 2016, before Gilbey left two years later while his mom and stepdad continued without him until 2020.
Gilbey’s death was confirmed by his sister who wrote on social media: ‘Rest in eternal paradise brother. Far too young but god only takes the best.’
Soon after, a Channel 4 spokesperson shared a message, expressing their sympathies for Linda and George’s family and friends at this very sad time.
‘He had the kindest heart.
