David Alan Gest (May 11, 1953 – April 12, 2016) was an American entertainer, comedian, producer and television personality. Gest produced the highest-rated musical television special in history, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration: The Solo Years in 2001, which was the last reunion of Michael Jackson and the Jacksons in 17 years, and Jackson’s last solo concerts. Gest appeared on the 2006 series of the British reality television show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! He became the first American to have three prime-time series in the UK. Gest appeared in Celebrity Big Brother in the UK in 2016 but due to illness had to leave after 13 days. He frequently made tabloid headlines during his marriage with Liza Minnelli.
I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here
Gest finished in fourth place on the 2006 series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, a day before the show finished. Two days later, Gest appeared on the Royal Variety Show in London in front of Prince Charles, for which he received a standing ovation. Another two days later, a controversy arose on the cover of 2 major UK papers stating that more than 30,000 text votes were unjustly not counted in Gest’s favor when the network ITV had a voting glitch which would have changed the outcome of the show but Gest declined a recount.
Other work
In January 2007, Gest appeared as a judge on ITV1’s Soapstar Superstar, for one night replacing Michael Ball who was coaching the singers. Later that month it was announced that Gest had signed a one-year deal by ITV to appear in his own reality series entitled This Is David Gest, which began on April 22, 2007. He also took cameras for a rare glimpse of the Jackson family house in Encino, California, where he met Tito Jackson and his children as well as matriarch Katherine Jackson. He was one of the four judges on ITV1’s entertainment series Grease Is the Word and also starred on “Greased Lightnin'”.
Gest paid ITV to be released from his contract in July and ITV came back saying they had no idea what to do with him. Gest was quick to come out and say that he wanted to be released: “My lawyers negotiated an early release so I could host The Friday Night Project on Channel 4”, Gest told The Sun. Gest also stated his ratings were the best ITV ever had in that time slot and had been asked to renew his contract. Gest has appeared on more than one hundred shows on UK television.
In April 2007, his autobiography, titled Simply The Gest, was released.
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On April 12, 2016, Gest was found dead in his room at the Four Seasons Hotel in East London’s Canary Wharf district, at the age of 62. His death was described by police as involving no suspicious circumstances.