David Gest

David Gest
Born	David Alan Gest
Spouse	Liza Minnelli (2002–2006) (divorced)

David Alan Gest (born May 11, 1953) is an American television personality, TV producer and concert promoter.

Personal life

Gest was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Southern California with Michael Jackson and Tito Jackson as childhood schoolfriends. He quickly became a successful music producer upon leaving school and was responsible for producing the highest rated musical special in television history in the United States 'MICHAEL JACKSON: 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION' on CBS TV which was seen by more than 44 million people, one of every four households in the United States. He won the NAACP Image Award for his production. He has produced more than one hundred specials throughout the world including evenings honouring Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, James Stewart, Janet Jackson, Julio Iglesias, Robert Mitchum, Ginger Rogers, Sir Anthony Hopkins, The Four Tops and many, many others. He also produced the highly acclaimed 'Liza's Back' starring Liza Minnelli on Broadway and in London at The Royal Albert Hall. He currently resides in England. He has just purchased a home in Cambridge.

Gest is best friends with Im A Celeb Winner Matt Willis who also featured on his show 'THIS IS DAVID GEST'. Many other of his celebrity friends including Sir Cliff Richard, Beyonce, Westlife, legendary actress Jane Russell, the Jackson Family, Louis Walsh, Jason Donovan, Deniece Williams and dozens upon dozens of others appeared on the highly rated show. Gest sang on the show with Westlife in Dublin and Sir Cliff Richard in Paris. He also co-wrote the theme song with James Bourne for the show entitled 'THIS GUY IS CRAZY,' which was sung by his nephews 3T, the sons of Tito Jackson.

Gest was married to actress Liza Minnelli and they divorced in 2006. He was dating 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!' actress Malandra Burrows and is now currently single.

I'm a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here!

Gest finished in 4th place on the 2006 series of "I'M A CELEBRITY...GET ME OUT OF HERE!" on ITV1|ITV in the UK and proved to be extremely popular, with his wonderful stories as well as "Get Me Outta Here!" song with fellow contestant Toby Anstis. He lasted twenty days of the twenty one days and was "evicted" from the show on November 30, 2006. He was so popular on the show that he became the first contestant as well as American in the six year history of "I'M A CELEBRITY...GET ME OUT OF HERE!" to sign a deal for starring on three prime-time series: "THIS IS DAVID GEST", "GREASED LIGHTNIN'" and "GREASE IS THE WORD" all on ITV|ITV.

During his time in the jungle, Gest participated in two "Bush Tucker trials". One trial involved him being shut in a tank with his feet chained which gradually filled with water. Whilst this was occurring, he had to open several compartments in order to obtain "stars" which would earn his fellow contestants meals. However, when he opened the compartments, David was joined in the tank by various animals including crocodiles,alligators,sea serpents and spiders. Gest did not even flinch and told jokes as he gathered his stars. He was the first contestant to win big meals for the other contestants. In the other trial he was joined by winner Matt Willis and Jason Donovan. They had to slide into freezing water and throw a dart at a balloon to burst it to earn each star for the camp. Once again Gest appeared fearless. As more than ten million people watched Gest each night for three weeks in November 2006, Tony Parsons of The Daily Mirror summed it up on November 20, 2006 by stating, "There is increasing evidence that appearing on a show like I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! is not a career's death certificate but the kiss of life. Davd Gest has changed everything. John Walsh of The Sunday Observer on November 19, 2006 added, 'The multimillionaire American showbiz impresario might indeed be a little flummoxed to discover what he has become since the new series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! He is now easily the most talked about element in the television show. Where two or three Britons gather by a watercooler, their talk is of Gest's oddball charm, his bracingly direct oneliners, his pop world anecdotes, his laconic valour in the face of creepy-crawlies.'

While on the show Gest told many humorous bizarre stories which he claimed to be true. These included a tale of a cousin who didn't eat fruit for a week and consequently died, one claiming that he was once forced to survive a week in the Grand Canyon after going exploring there, one about a hotel specifically catering to people with albinism called Albino Heights, and he famously claimed that his maid is called Vaginica Seaman, apparently named after her mother's favourite body part. The charity he supported, Chinese Girls With Herpes (CGWH) also became famous from the show. He returned to England as a star in his own right.

Other work

In January 2007, Gest appeared as a special guest as a judge on ITV1's 'Soapstar Superstar', for one night replacing Michael Ball who was coaching the singers. He also made guest appearances on '8 Out of 10 Cats' and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Later that month it was announced that Gest had been signed for a one year deal by ITV1 to appear in his own reality series entitled 'THIS IS DAVID GEST'. The show began on the 22nd April 2007. He also took cameras for a rare glimpse of the Jackson family house in Encino, California, where he met Tito and his children as well as matriarch Katherine Jackson. The show was a huge success attaining number one in the ratings for the time slot for its first two weeks and number two for the next three weeks only being beat by 'Match Of The Day' sports events but still beating all the rest of the competition. Simon Cowell personally signed him to star as was one of the four judges on ITV1's entertainment series Grease is the Word which ran for four months as well as the ITV1 series Grease Lightin. He hosted The Friday Night Project on Channel 4 to rave reviews with Heat Magazine calling it one of the best performances by a guest host of the year. He also had a guest appearance on Peter and Jordan:The Next Chapter.

His autobiography was released earlier in the year entitled 'SIMPLY THE GEST' to rave reviews and is being released in paperback in October 2007. He will begin a major tour of the U.K. in 2008 with many of the characters he made famous in the jungle. He debuted a sneak preview of the show when he hosted 'The Friday Night Project' where he performed with the Little People Of DavidLand and the Chinese Girls With Herpes, both of whom will tour with him next year. According to Heat Magazne & The Daily Mirror in London, he is mobbed by people wherever he goes. He is also an avid football lover and attends many of the Arsenal games as he is a good friend of team member Mathieu Flamini. In November 2007 Gest will return to Australia as Foxtel Network will be airing last year's series of I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of Here in Australia and New Zealand with Gest doing television appearances to promote the series and Foxtel giving a cocktail party and dinner in his honor for media and celebrities. Additionally, 'THIS IS DAVID GEST' began airing in September 2007 in Canada on the STAR Channel. David Gest received Loaded LAFTAS' Award for 'Funniest Person In A Reality Series' on the 4th of September 2007 in front of a star-studded audience.