Police end inquiry into George Gilbey's fall death

Police have closed their criminal investigation into the death of former Gogglebox personality George Gilbey.

The self-employed electrician, 40, was working in Shoeburyness, Essex, in March 2024, when he fell through a skylight.

Two men, now aged 37 and 49 and both from Witham, were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

Essex Police confirmed they had both been released without charge and would face no further action. However, a criminal investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) remains ongoing.

"The thoughts of everyone at Essex Police remain with George's family and friends," said a spokeswoman.

Gilbey was one of the early regulars on the reality show Gogglebox, where families sitting in their living rooms were filmed reacting to television programmes.

He appeared on the show between 2013 and 2018, and on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014.

Dozens of people from the world of reality TV, and also local people, paid tribute to Gilbey after his death.

Michael Eyre, a site manager for a cleaning company in Halstead, said he once offered Gilbey a job after meeting him at a celebrity football match.

He described him as "charming" with a "nice sense of humour".

Gilbey's mother, Linda McGarry, told the Clacton Gazette her son "did more in his 40 years than people do in 90".

He died at an industrial site in Campfield Road in Shoeburyness, near Southend-on-Sea, on 27 March 2024.

A short inquest hearing was told his traumatic head and torso injuries were "consistent with a fall from height".

The HSE has the power to prosecute employers and individuals for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

"We will continue to thoroughly investigate George's tragic death as the lead agency," said HSE inspector Natalie Price.

"We are in regular contact with George's family, and our thoughts remain with them at this time."

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