Man arrested over death of Gogglebox star George Gilbey aged 40

A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the death of Gogglebox star George Gilbey who died after a fall at work, police in the UK have said.

The new statement shared by Essex Police on Thursday afternoon, read: "As part of our ongoing investigation into the death of a man in Campfield Road, Shoebury on Wednesday 27 March, we have arrested a man in their 40s from the Witham area on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. This is a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive and our enquiries are ongoing."

The reality TV star, who appeared on the Channel 4 show and Celebrity Big Brother, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning following a workplace incident.

READ MORE - Channel 4 Gogglebox pays emotional tribute to former star George Gilbey following death aged 40

Essex Police released an initial statement which read: "We received a report of an incident at Campfield Road in Shoebury at around 10am this morning (27 March), during which a man who was working at height had fallen and sustained an injury. The ambulance service including air ambulance were in attendance.

"Sadly, the man died at the scene. We will continue liaising with partners including the Health and Safety Executive. A cordon remains in place at the scene."

The cordon remains in place at EGL Homecare on Thursday, where it is believed the tragedy unfolded. Pictures have shown a large cherry picker leading up to the roof of the warehouse where scaffolding poles and other building materials are lined up.

Bouquets of flowers appeared on the road near George's workplace, where the reality TV star sadly died. According to the Sun, the TV personality had been working as an electrician before his death. The site appeared to be open and functioning, but no one was seen working on the roof where George fell to his death, with materials still present.

Tragic scene where Gogglebox's George Gilbey, 40, fell to his death in workplace incident

The reality TV star, who appeared on the Channel 4 show and Celebrity Big Brother, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning
(Image: Channel 5)

One bunch of flowers included a note with the messages: "I will always remember the funny times we spent together as teenagers in your room on your decks mixing songs and hanging out at yours in Mountbatten road with your massive TV. So many funny times at the pub. We even shared a cheeky kiss once but decided to just be friends lol.

"I can't get my head around the fact someone that has brought joy to so many people has gone. You will live on in my fond memories of us as teenager and I will never forget the kindness you showed me in tough times. Good night and God bless. RIP. Kelly Hurley, Olivia Hurley, Lauren Hurley and Eve Hurley."

George, who has a daughter called Amelie with Gemma Conway in 2016, was best known for his time on the sofa with his mum and step-dad on Gogglebox. He became a favourite with viewers when he joined the Channel 4 show in its second series in 2013. The family from Essex were taken off the show in 2014, but that same year, George entered the Celebrity Big Brother house, making it all the way to the final. In 2016, George, along with Linda and Pete McGarry, returned to Gogglebox, much to the delight of many telly viewers.

His mum Linda is said to be "in bits" following the news of George's tragic death. A close pal has said his beloved mum Linda has been left devastated. "First, she lost Pete, now her son as well," they told The Sun. "She is incredibly emotional. George was like her little treasure."

Former Geordie Shore star Ricci Guarnaccio was one of the first to pay tribute to George, sharing a collection of pictures of himself and George on social media. He captioned the pictures on Twitter (X): "Breaks my [heart] but @georgegilbey you are well and truely going to be missed my friend. Always lit up the room, cared for others & the memories we made I’ll cherish for ever brother. From CBB to speaking to you last week, I’m going to hugely miss you ma boiii! Love you G."

Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

For the latest breaking news and top stories, visit our homepage

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .