David Gest produced the highest-rated musical tour in US TV history, Michael Jackson's 30th Anniversary Celebration. (Photo : YouTube)
David Gest, the legendary music producer and ex-husband of famous singer Liza Minnelli, was found dead in a London hotel room on April 12, Tuesday. He was 62.
Imad Handi, Gest's friend and former bodyguard, discovered him at the Four Season hotel Canary Wharf, London, where he was living for the last six months. He was keeping unwell for the past two years.
Gest was last seen on screen in "Celebrity Big Brother" in UK in January from where he had to exit only after 13 days owing to the poor health. Friends who spoke to him last month revealed that he had been taking a variety of drugs which left him disoriented. A post mortem will be held soon to determine the exact cause of his death.
The late TV personality was planning a UK tour that was ironically titled, David Gest Is Not Dead But Alive With Soul. The tour title was inspired by the recent reality TV show stunt, where after his sudden eviction from the show, his housemates wrongly believed that he had died.
Born in Los Angeles and brought up in Southern Carolina, Gest was a childhood friend of the legendary singer Michael Jackson and his brother Tito Jackson, BBC reported. In fact, he shot to fame in 2001 for producing the highest-rated tour in US music history, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration.
Later, Gest became a household name when he married Minnelli in 2002 in one of the most over-the-top star studded wedding of the show business. The alliance was deemed as nothing more than their love of stardom and an apparent penchant for drastic plastic surgery at the time since Gest was widely believed to be gay and Minnelli a bloated alcoholic and drug addict, Daily Mail reported.
The famous wedding featured the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Trump and Mya with Michael present as the best man. The marriage lasted just months, with both filing for divorce in 2003.
Gest appeared and finished fourth in 2006 in "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here" and later became a judge on talent show "Grease Is The Word." He also helped Sir Cliff Richard develop the album "Soulicious," which saw the singer collaborating with Roberta Flack and Candi Staton.
Just less than a week ago, the 62-year-old was photographed smiling and looking healthy as he met some fans. Watch the late TV personality's video below:
