The entertainer David Gest has been found dead in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old.

His death was confirmed by a statement from his friend and former bodyguard, Imad Handi. Mr Handi said: “It is with great sadness that I can confirm that David Gest has died today.

“David was truly larger than life. He was not just a huge talent and a dear friend but a showbiz icon.

David Gest: Life in pictures Show all 25 1 /25 David Gest: Life in pictures David Gest: Life in pictures 2002 Liza Minnelli and husband David Gest pose after serving food during a Thanksgiving meal at the New York City Rescue Mission at the New York City Rescue Mission in New York David Gest: Life in pictures 2002 Producer David Gest and Liza Minnelli, answer questions during a press conference at the House of Blues in West Hollywood David Gest: Life in pictures 2003 David Gest kisses his wife Liza Minnelli as they arrive at the Dorchester Hotel for Gest's 50th birthday party, London David Gest: Life in pictures 2004 David Guest and Freda Payne arrive at the First AME Church for the Funeral of Musician of Ray Charles in Los Angeles David Gest: Life in pictures 2006 Producer David Gest and Dionne Warwick attend a luncheon announcing Gest's new autobiography 'The Gest List' in Beverly Hills David Gest: Life in pictures 2006 David Gest: Life in pictures 2006 David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest and his guest arrive at Andy & Patti Wong's Chinese New Year Party at Madame Tussauds in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest holds up a copy of his autobiography 'Simply the Gest' at Waterstones in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 Caudwell Children's Charity new ambassadors Sinitta and David Gest pose with Isobella Costello at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest arrives at The Bedrock Ball at the Natural History Museum to launch the new, national children's charity 'Caudwell Children' in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest and Cleo Rocos arrive at the Loaded LAFTAS with Nivea for Men 2007 at Le Pigalle in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest and Cleo Rocos at the Loaded LAFTAS with Nivea for Men 2007 at Le Pigalle in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest and singer and reality tv personality Matt Willis attend the Loaded LAFTAS with Nivea for Men Awards 2007 ceremony at Le Pigalle in LondonImages) David Gest: Life in pictures 2007 David Gest poses with his Entertainment Collection prior to it's auction at Bonhams in Knightsbridge, London PA David Gest: Life in pictures 2009 TV star and music producer David Gest David Gest: Life in pictures 2009 David Gest: Life in pictures 2011 L-R) David Gest, Sir Cliff Richard and Lamont Dozier attend a press conference to announce details of Cliff Richard's new album at Gilgamesh in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2011 David Guest and Martha Reeves attends the world premiere of 'Michael Jackson: The Life Of An Icon' at The Empire Cinema in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2011 (L-R) Tito Jackson, Rebbie Jackson and David Gest arrives at the afterparty of 'Michael Jackson: The Life Of An Icon' at the Connaught Rooms in London David Gest: Life in pictures 2012 David Gest: Life in pictures 2016 David Gest enters the Celebrity Big Brother House at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, UK David Gest: Life in pictures 2016 David Gest, Saira Khan and Linda Robson on the 'Loose Women' TV show 26 Jan 2016 David Gest: Life in pictures 2016 David Gest and John Partridge comfort Angie Bowie after being told her ex-husband David has passed away, in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' TV show

“I know he will be missed by millions of fans around the world, and particularly in Britain, who came to love his charm and blistering one-liners.

“If I may steal the words of one eminent critic, David was a natural star and a genuine celebrity. I will miss him desperately.”

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “Police were called at 10.17am on 12 April to the Four Seasons hotel, in Westferry Circus, to reports of an unexplained death of a man in his 60s. London Ambulance Service were called to the scene. Life was pronounced extinct at the hotel.

"A post-mortem will be held in due course. Next of kin are in the process of being informed."

The producer and TV personality sparked concerns for his health in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January when he was placed into a separate room to rest after becoming unwell. He then had to leave the house after just 13 days due to unspecified medical reasons. Gest was also the fourth runner-up in the 2006 series of I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, where he proved to be a popular contestant.

News of his death was met with an outpouring of grief from his friends and fellow Big Brother housemates.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in southern California, he was close friends with Michael Jackson as a child and had a relationship with Latoya Jackson as a teenager. Gest produced a documentary about Jackson starring himself, The Life of an Icon, after his friend's death in 2011. He also produced Lisa’s Back, Lisa Minnelli’s Broadway comeback, as well as the American Cinema Awards for 14 years.

Gest launched his career in entertainment aged 17 when he was hired by London Records as a West Coast Publicity Director after pretending to be 21.

“I looked that age because by then I had a beard, moustache and an afro down to my tush,” he told the Yorkshire Post in 2014. “They hired me as West Coast publicity director and the next year I became national public relations director in New York. I was handling the careers of people like Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, ZZ Top and Al Green.

“About a year later Al Green said he didn’t have a manager and needed someone to look after him so I opened my own PR and management firm and as well as managing Al I took on the Doobie Brothers and Burt Bacharach.”

He was due to begin a UK tour entitled David Gest is Not Dead, But Alive With Soul, in July.