Music producer and reality TV star, David Gest, has died at age 62.
London Metropolitan Police tell ET that officers were called to the Four Seasons Hotel in Canary Wharf on Tuesday "to reports of an unexplained death of a man in his 60s." The man was pronounced dead at the scene, but officials say there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.
"It is with great sadness that I can confirm that David Gest has died today," Gest's friend, Imad Handi, said in a statement to BBC News. "David was truly larger than life. He was not just a huge talent and a dear friend but a showbiz icon. If I may steal the words of one eminent critic, David was a natural star and a genuine celebrity. I will miss him desperately."
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On Jan. 5, Gest entered the U.K.'s Celebrity Big Brother house, but left 13 days later for medical reasons. "'I've been so sick, and I'm really sad as I wish I could stay. It's something I will never forget," he said at the time. "I want to thank all the people that have been supporting me."
Actress Stephanie Davis, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother with Gest, tweeted on Tuesday: "My heart is broken. Grandad has gone. Last to get photo with him. We made plans and im gutted I won't see you again."
Gest -- who was a childhood friend to Michael Jackson -- gained notoriety when he married Liza Minnelli on March 16, 2002, and split from the entertainment icon a year later. The two officially divorced in 2007. ET has reached out to Minnelli in regard to her ex-husband's death.
London Metropolitan Police tell ET that officers were called to the Four Seasons Hotel in Canary Wharf on Tuesday "to reports of an unexplained death of a man in his 60s." The man was pronounced dead at the scene, but officials say there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.
"It is with great sadness that I can confirm that David Gest has died today," Gest's friend, Imad Handi, said in a statement to BBC News. "David was truly larger than life. He was not just a huge talent and a dear friend but a showbiz icon. If I may steal the words of one eminent critic, David was a natural star and a genuine celebrity. I will miss him desperately."
Getty Images
On Jan. 5, Gest entered the U.K.'s Celebrity Big Brother house, but left 13 days later for medical reasons. "'I've been so sick, and I'm really sad as I wish I could stay. It's something I will never forget," he said at the time. "I want to thank all the people that have been supporting me."
Actress Stephanie Davis, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother with Gest, tweeted on Tuesday: "My heart is broken. Grandad has gone. Last to get photo with him. We made plans and im gutted I won't see you again."
Gest -- who was a childhood friend to Michael Jackson -- gained notoriety when he married Liza Minnelli on March 16, 2002, and split from the entertainment icon a year later. The two officially divorced in 2007. ET has reached out to Minnelli in regard to her ex-husband's death.
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