David Gest

Early success At the age of 17, Gest landed a job as a publicist at London Records by passing himself off as 24. 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 with 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. In 2007, Gest also appeared in an episode of Gordon Ramsay's The F Word. Gest paid ITV to be released from his contract early and ITV replied that they had no idea what to do with him. Gest was quick to 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 was a guest on Celebrity Fantasy Homes with Gaby Roslin. Plot to kill Elton John In 2017, the Associated Press carried a report claiming that Gest had attempted to have Elton John killed. Gest was reportedly infuriated by a reference John made to Gest's sexuality after Gest's marriage to Liza Minnelli. The alleged plot did not progress. ==Personal life==

Gest was born to a Jewish family in Los Angeles and grew up in Southern California. Gest and Liza Minnelli were married on March 16, 2002, and separated in July 2003. In October 2003, he sued her for $10 million, claiming that she had been violent and physically abusive during their marriage, behavior the affidavit blamed on Minnelli's persistent alcoholism. Gest was a close friend of Michael Jackson, and after Jackson's death, he produced and starred in a documentary film about his life called Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Death On April 12, 2016, Gest was found dead in his room at the Four Seasons Hotel in East London's Canary Wharf financial estate. He was 62 years old. Police described his death as involving no suspicious circumstances. It was later reported that he had died from a stroke. Before his death, Gest had been arranging a new tour entitled David Gest Is Not Dead but Alive With Soul, in reference to a misunderstanding on Celebrity Big Brother after he had gone to bed early feeling unwell on the evening the death of David Bowie was announced. Despite Gest's death, the tour went ahead. After his death, sources revealed that Gest had been addicted to gambling; friends reported that he had amassed debts of £500,000 before his death. Gest's funeral service was held at Golders Green Crematorium in North London on April 29, 2016. His ashes were scattered in York. ==Bibliography==