Entertainment
Gogglebox pays tribute to Pete McGarry during celebrity episode after star died from cancer aged 71
Gogglebox paid tribute to Pete McGarry after he died last weekend from cancer (Picture: Channel 4)
Channel 4 paid tribute to late star Pete McGarry during Friday’s Celebrity Gogglebox after the cast member died last weekend.
The 71-year-old passed away at his home in Essex over the weekend, surrounded by his family, including wife Linda, just days after he was told he had six months to live following a cancer diagnosis.
During Friday evening’s episode of Celebrity Gogglebox, a touching tribute was made to Pete at the end of the show, with a picture of him and Linda looking lovingly at each other with the years ‘1950-2021’ to mark the year he was born and died.
Viewers took to Twitter to share their tributes after the programme, with one writing: ‘It’s lovely to see the tribute to Pete at the end of #CelebrityGogglebox and amazing to think how these people from a TV programme where they watch telly has become such a successful show. #Gogglebox @C4Gogglebox.’
Another person tweeted: ‘Awwww Pete r.i.p Smiling face with tear thinking of Linda & family #Gogglebox.’
Someone else posted: ‘#Gogglebox Man, I like Pete. So sad.’
Pete leaves behind wife Linda and son George (Picture: Getty)
Meanwhile, other Gogglebox fans simply wrote: ‘RIP.’
News of Pete’s death broke on Tuesday this week, with a statement issued on behalf of the family reading: ‘We are deeply saddened to announce that Gogglebox star Pete McGarry passed away at the age of 71 this weekend with his family by his side after a short illness.
‘Pete will be dearly missed by the entire Gogglebox family, cast and crew.’
Linda has confirmed that her husband was diagnosed with bowel cancer earlier this year, and despite an operation to remove the tumour, he was told he had six months to live, but died just days later.
Linda, 71, told The Sun: ‘Pete was a lovely man and I was so lucky to have him for 25 years.
Pete appeared on Gogglebox with his family for many years (Picture: Jude Edington)
‘I said to him, “we’ve not only been 25 years, it’s been day and night with each other.” He was my life.’
Pete ended up starring on Gogglebox alongside Linda and her son George Gilbey in 2013, and returned for the seventh series in 2016, with the family becoming firm favourites.
Linda said: ‘When they told Pete he only had six months I said to him, “we have done things that nobody else would ever do in a lifetime.”
‘We’ve been to marvellous places. He was so proud of George when he was in Big Brother too.’
She said that while her husband was shy, he grew to love the attention he got from Gogglebox fans when they went on holidays and cruises.
Peter is survived by Linda, her two grown-up sons, including George, his two daughters who he shared with his late first wife Sue, and his grandchildren.
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He was also a foster parent, with him and Linda fostering over 100 children since 2000.
Linda said that her phone ‘had not stopped ringing’ since her husband died with their former foster children sharing their support and condolences.
