George Gilbey’s Celebrity Big Brother co-star Stephanie Pratt has paid tribute after hearing of his death.
George, who was once a favorite on the Gogglebox sofa with his mother Linda McGarry and stepfather Pete, died on Thursday aged 40 after falling 80ft from the roof of EGL Homecare in Shoebury, near of Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
A man who was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with her death has been released under investigation.
Stephanie said she was left “speechless” when she took to Instagram on Saturday to share a montage of footage from her time on the reality show in 2014 along with a heartfelt post.
The Hills star, 37, wrote: “I’ve just heard the devastating news of George Gilbey’s passing. I’m speechless – it never makes sense when someone who is so incredibly kind is taken from this world.
George Gilbey’s Celebrity Big Brother co-star Stephanie Pratt has paid tribute after hearing of his death.
George, who was once a favorite on the Gogglebox sofa with his mum Linda McGarry and stepdad Pete, died aged 40 earlier this week.
Stephanie said she was left “speechless” when she took to Instagram on Saturday to share a montage of footage from her time on the reality show in 2014 along with a heartfelt post.
“George was truly the most beautiful person. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as charming, sweet, funny, humble, charismatic, thoughtful… I mean, the list really goes on.
“He was so special out of this world; I wanted to be around him every second in the bb house, and I was.
‘I was amazed and addicted to his charm and personality. It was a rare gem. I treasure my memories of him. Oh my god, he made me laugh.
“It really was extraordinary, which makes this very difficult for his family and friends, and I am so sorry for their tragic loss.” I am so lucky to have spent time in her radiant glow. “He was really something else.”
It comes after Geordie Shore’s Ricci Guarnaccio, 37, who also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, told MailOnline: “It didn’t seem real… (I was told) it was accidental at work.” I think he was helping a friend. It was a complete and utter accident, there is nothing more, nothing less.
Speaking of her mother Linda, Ricci added: “Unfortunately she lost her partner Pete two years ago and now has to bury her 40-year-old son – no mother should have to do that.”
‘You can’t even imagine the thought or the feelings and emotions he is going through. It’s brutal.
‘And most importantly, he had a seven-year-old daughter who he adored and loved and worshiped the ground she walked on. No seven-year-old girl should have to go through what she is going to have to do; It’s not good at all. She has broken us.
The family left Gogglebox in 2014 when George entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on rival Channel 5, but they delighted viewers when they returned to the sofa two years later.
George died after falling 80 feet from the roof of EGL Homecare in Shoebury on Thursday.
Ricci led the tributes on Wednesday when he shared a photo of the couple and wrote: “My heart breaks but George Gilbey, you will truly be missed my friend.”
“There’s an investigation going on right now, the police have to do their thing. It just doesn’t feel real, it really doesn’t. Since he messaged me last week, I’m definitely going to cherish the happy memories and the good memories I have of him.
‘He will always have a place in my heart. He was a good person, he really was. Most importantly, I am devastated for his daughter and his mother; He’s devastating, he really is.
‘It’s an OG, it’s a Gogglebox OG, it will always occupy that place. All the messages I’ve been getting, I read some to Linda and talked to her and we laughed and cried a little.
“He was found in a pub for Gogglebox and quickly rose to fame, jumped onto that show and immediately became a fan favourite, melted the public’s hearts and jumped onto CBB with us all.”
George told colleagues he was “fine” after they said they were concerned about the height he was working at moments before he “fell 80 feet to his death” after falling through a skylight.
Friends revealed that George climbed the roof of the building without a harness and when his co-workers begged him to come down, he fell 80 feet through a skylight and landed on the concrete.
another friend said Sun: ‘George hadn’t been feeling well and maybe he shouldn’t have been working at all. He was on the roof and the others were yelling at him to get off and to be careful.
‘He was shouting that he was fine, even though he wasn’t very steady on his feet.
“It then apparently went through a skylight and fell from the outside of the roof about 80 feet onto the concrete inside.” The friend added that George “had no chance.”
As the credits rolled, a photo of George with his parents during his time on the series was shown with the caption: ‘IN LOVING MEMORY George Gilbey 1984-2024.’
Police confirmed George fell and was injured around 10am on Wednesday. Despite ambulance and air ambulance crews rushing to the scene, the Gogglebox star did not survive.
His sudden death comes less than three years after his stepfather Pete McGarry died of bowel cancer aged 71.
The family left Gogglebox in 2014 when George entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on rival Channel 5, which producers deemed a rule-breaker, but delighted viewers when they returned to the sofa two years later.
George, who had a daughter called Amelie with Gemma Conway in 2016, was part of the fourteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother and even made it to the final.