Gogglebox stars Pete and Lynne McGarry settled a prisoner’s drug debt, their son George Gilbey has revealed.
George says he called his parents for help when he was put behind bars himself for drink-driving in October 2019.
The former Channel 4 star, who was jailed for three months, said he feared for the life of his fellow inmate – who had previously been fostered by Pete and Lynne – and asked his parents for help.
“His jaw was hanging off his face over a £20 drugs-debt which he’d managed to get saddled with,” explained George, 35.
(Image: Channel 4)
“I had to get involved. I called mum and said ‘can you put twenty quid in his account’.
“It sorted things out – but the next day he went and bought loads more. Drugs were everywhere in the prison.”
The former CelebrityBig Brother star said his mum and dad also sent boxer shorts to prisoners after hearing George say many of the men didn’t have money to buy them.
George opened up about his spell in prison for podcast A Bit of A Strech.
He told listeners: “I knew I was going down. I’d been told that if I turned up drunk to prison I’d end up on a drugs and alcohol rehab wing with my mates. So during a break in my court case I went across the road and drank two bottles of wine and a double vodka.”
(Image: FameFlynet)
George said that his fellow inmates recognised him from the TV with some questioning if he was filming an undercover project.
Since coming out, George says he’s changed his ways and came clean to his four-year-old daughter about what happened.
“I told her Daddy did something that was wrong and the police had to come and take me to do some work in the prison,” he explained.
“She cuddled me and said: ‘Alright daddy I don’t mind you going to work – but don’t do it again’. I was a stupid boy but I don’t plan to go back inside.”