Gemma Collins Reveals David Gest's Final Call Before His Death: 'Shall We Go to Taco Bell?'

David Gest's name is back in the conversation after old footage resurfaced. Gemma Collins, his housemate on Celebrity Big Brother, revealed that she spoke with Gest by phone just hours before the music producer and television star was found lifeless in a room at the Four Seasons Hotel, Canary Wharf, London, on 12 April 2016. Gest died at the age of 62 from a stroke.

In a video clip posted by Big Brother's official Instagram account, Collins—now 45—told her fellow housemates that Gest called her on the last night of his life. At the time, Collins was on her way to an Adele concert. From his hotel room, Gest made a request that sounded simple but left a mark: he wanted to take Collins to eat at Taco Bell because he had just learned there was an outlet of the Mexican fast-food chain in London.

Collins said she promised to call Gest again after the concert and stop by his hotel for tea. But when she called after the Adele show ended, there was no answer. She assumed her friend had fallen asleep. Collins never spoke to or saw him again.

The story of that phone call shows a personal side of Gest that cameras rarely captured. On the entertainment stage, he was known as a producer and a figure full of surprises. But behind that, he formed a close bond with Collins while they lived together in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January 2016—three months before his death. According to Collins, Gest was someone who held the best stories she had ever heard in her life.

"David was truly larger than life. He was not only a great talent and a friend, but an icon of the entertainment world," said Imad Handi, Gest's friend and former bodyguard, in his official statement.

Handi added that Gest would be missed by millions of fans around the world, especially in the UK, who admired his charm and sharp one-liners. He called Gest a natural star and a true celebrity.

Collins herself expressed deep grief via Twitter, now known as X. She said she was devastated and would never forget the phone calls from her friend. "I love you so much, so sad to hear this," she wrote at the time.

Gest's name also became a topic of conversation because of a misinformation incident on Celebrity Big Brother 2016. Actress Angie Bowie, now 77, told Tiffany Pollard that "David"—by whom she meant her ex-husband, David Bowie—had died. Pollard cried because she thought she meant Gest, who was ill in bed at the time. The mix-up later inspired the title of Gest's July 2016 tour, David Gest Is Not Dead But Alive With Soul Tour!.

For the Indonesian public, a story like this is nothing new. The country's entertainment industry also often highlights personal relationships between artists that form behind the scenes, especially after the passing of a famous figure. Moments like this often serve as a reminder that behind the glitter of the stage, there are human stories the camera never sees. Fans in Indonesia who follow international celebrities through digital platforms also feel a similar loss when their idols pass away.

What Gest leaves behind is not only his work and controversies, but also the traces of personal relationships he left behind. The question is, how often does the entertainment industry make room for small stories like this—not just sensation, but a portrait of humanity that keeps a star remembered long after the stage lights go out?