DAVID Gest's closest Scottish friend has paid tribute to the "larger than life" and "gregarious" star following his sudden death.
Writer and performer Tish Tindall became friends with the Hollywood producer in the most unlikely of ways - working with him on his dream of creating a musical about Robert Burns, inspired by Michael Jackson, Gest's friend since childhood.
The pair grew close as Gest - who was found dead in a London hotel on Tuesday - rehearsed for the part of Tam O'Shanter in the production, with the star visiting Tindall in Lossiemouth and making regular calls to check how his Scottish accent was coming along.
Tindall said she has been left shocked by his death but is committed to ensuring his memory lives on through her work, Robert Burns: The Musical.
"I don't think I'll ever meet anybody with a character quite like his," she said. "He was larger than life, very interesting and very gregarious. He was just lovely to speak to and very interested in your life and how he could help you."
The bizarre story of Robert Burns: The Musical goes back to Gest's childhood friendship with Michael Jackson. He and the singer used to trawl through second hand bookshops looking for books on Burns.
In the 1990s, they decided to create the musical and recorded a number of songs with Burns's poetry set to pop tunes.
In an even more surreal twist, the musical was produced by actors Anthony Perkins and Gene Kelly, but when they died it was put on hold and nothing ever came of it.
It was only years later, when Tindall's manager Robert Smith, a close friend of Gest's, was helping him to clear out some memorabilia that the recordings were rediscovered.
Tindall said: "I think originally he was going to gift them to the Burns Museum, but my manager, who was looking after his UK tours at the time, encouraged him to do something with it. He gave him my name and we went down to meet David in in Leeds. It was totally bizarre."
They agreed that Tindall should rewrite the musical as it would take too long to get permission to use the original songs given Jackson's involvement.
Gest agreed to perform as Tam O'Shanter in the production but unfortunately that never went ahead due to his filming commitments in the US.
However, when he was rehearsing he visited Lossiemouth in 2014 and Tindall claims he had a great affinity with the village and Scotland as a whole.
She said: "I think he felt humbled by the different lifestyle he saw here and he took his part in the musical very seriously when he was rehearsing.
"I'd be getting calls from David Gest when I was walking my dog in Lossiemouth asking how his Scottish accent was.
"He wasn't taking the mickey, as much as he was a great prankster, he took this very seriously."
Robert Burns: The Musical debuted in early 2015 and has now been performed across the country.
Tindall, who owns Rock Academy Performing Arts in Lossiemouth, said those involved in the production remain thankful that Gest allowed them to take on the project and are determined to ensure his legacy lives on in Scotland.
She said: "We're truly blessed that he allowed this to happen and we're even more passionate and thankful now about the fact David chose us to do it.
"It's such a bizarre story - from LA to London to Lossiemouth - and we're delighted to be a part of it. We're definitely going to make sure his memory and the gift he gave us lives on."
Tindall's manager Robert Smith said Gest's funeral will take place in the UK and it is understood his ashes will be scattered in Yorkshire.
The cause of death is not yet known, bit Smith said the star suffered with diabetes and high blood pressure.
He described him as a "lovely, charitable and generous guy".
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