Police close criminal investigation into the death of ex-Gogglebox star George Gilbey

The investigation into the tragic death of Gogglebox star George Gilbey, who fell through a skylight while at work, has been closed by police. Essex Police announced today, August 13, that no further action will be taken against two men who were arrested following George's death.

George, 40, was best known for his appearances on the Channel 4 TV show alongside his mum Linda McGarry and her husband Pete. The self-employed electrician suffered traumatic injuries and died at an industrial site in Shoeburyness, Essex, on March 27, 2024. Two men were initially arrested and released under investigation in connection with the incident, but will now face no further action from the force.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will now lead the criminal investigation. An Essex Police spokesman said: "The thoughts of everyone at Essex Police remain with George's family and friends."

HSE inspector Natalie Prince stated: "We have been a part of this inquiry from the outset, and we will continue to thoroughly investigate George's tragic death as the lead agency.

"This will aim to establish if there have been any breaches of health and safety law. We are in regular contact with George's family and our thoughts remain with them at this time."

George's heartbroken mum, Linda, previously revealed that George, a qualified roofer, had only been back at work for three days and was trying to "rebuild his life".

She expressed her devastation, saying, "I'm devastated, he was like my best friend. He had the best heart in the world. He was generous, funny and kind, with bundles of charm and buckets of personality.

"He did more in his 40 years than people do in 90 - he's even had dinner with the Prince of Dubai. He was crazy, but after coming out of showbiz, he couldn't get his life back together. He just couldn't get over the death of Pete."

Step-dad Pete McGarry passed away at the age of 71 following a battle with bowel cancer in 2021. Linda, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, revealed: "I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and George took it worse than me. He was a mummy's boy.

"He came to celebrity overnight but didn't really want to be - he was just normal. But it allowed him to do charity work, and anytime anyone contacted him about charity work, he prioritised it."