Gogglebox’s George Gilbey died after falling through skylight, inquest told

Gogglebox star George Gilbey had been working on a roof when he fell to his death through a plastic skylight, an inquest has heard.

The 40-year-old sustained traumatic injuries to his head and torso and died at the scene in Shoeburyness, Essex, on March 27, the hearing in Chelmsford was told.

Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes opened then suspended Monday’s inquest, pending the outcome of a criminal investigation.

Coroner’s officer Deborah Frost said Mr Gilbey had been “working on a roof when he fell through a plastic skylight, landing on the ground below”.

She said that paramedics and police attended but that he died at the scene, with his provisional cause of death recorded as “traumatic injury to head and torso consistent with fall from height”.

Mr Gilbey, of Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, was best known for appearing on the Channel 4 series – where participants watch and comment on TV shows from the previous week.

He starred alongside his mother Linda McGarry and stepfather Pete McGarry, who died aged 71 in 2021.

The reality star also appeared on the 14th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, reaching the final.

Coroner Mr Brookes said he had received a written request from Essex Police to suspend inquest proceedings pending the outcome of a criminal investigation, and he granted this request.

He said the matter would be reviewed in four months’ time.

A man, aged in his 40s and from the Witham area of Essex, was previously arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the incident.

He was later released by police under investigation.