Photo: channel 4
Rest in peace, Bill and Joe Smith.
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Dec 30, 2019
How did Bill and Joe Smith die? When word got out that the twin stars of the popular British television show, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, had died by double suicide, fans were devastated at the unspeakable tragedy.
The 32-year-olds were well-beloved by fans of the show, and fans were wondering how such wonderful men could have died so suddenly. Additionally, the Smith brothers had celebrated their 32nd birthday on December 16th, just a few days before they were found dead in their home.
Let's look at what we know about this unspeakable tragedy.
1. How did Bill and Joe Smith die? The twins were involved in what has been reported as a double suicide pact.
“Kent Police was called at 11:34 am on Saturday 28 December 2019 after the bodies of two men in their thirties were discovered in Dibden Lane, Sevenoaks,” said a local police spokeswoman in an official statement. Although Bill and Joe Smith were not identified by name, there were other signs that they were the two "bodies" in question.
2. The Smiths were found hanging from a tree.
Bill and Joe Smith's bodies were found hanging from a tree in Sevenoaks, England, a small suburb just outside of London. Paddy Doherty, who starred with the Smith twins on Celebrity Big Brother in the United Kingdom, confirmed their death in a heartfelt tribute on his Facebook page, calling it a "terrible, terrible tragedy."
3. Bill and Joe Smith's cousin confirmed the twins passed away.
"My cousins were loved all over the world, as you can see," said Phoebe Charleen Smith when speaking of her cousins Bill and Joe Smith. Another friend of the family, Jane Chippendale, said that the Smiths were working as landscapers for their uncle, and didn't seem out of sorts in any way.
"I'm still in shock. It doesn't make sense. Their clothes are hanging up in my washroom. They were like sons when they were here. We got close so quickly. They were so sweet. I can still see them smiling in front of me," said Chippendale, who added that there were no "signs" that something like this would happen.
4. The Smiths were 'Irish travelers.'
The Smith brothers were a part of the original lineup of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, which aired for four seasons on Britain's Channel 4 from 2010 to 2015. (My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding was later rebooted for American audiences as My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding, which began airing on TLC in 2012.)
The British version of the show focused on so-called "Irish Travelers," a group of Romany natives who settled in Ireland and speak a language called Shelta.
5. A Facebook page was set up in honor of Bill and Joe Smith.
Shortly after their passing was announced, a Facebook page was set up to honor the lives of Bill and Joe Smith. As of this writing, more than 2,700 people "liked" the page and more than 1,000 comments were left in support of the twins.
6. Foul play has been ruled out.
Even though Bill and Joe Smith's death has all but been determined to be a suicide, the police are still officially investigating their cause of death. They have, however, ruled out foul play.
Our thoughts are with Bill and Joe Smith's family during this difficult time.
If someone you know is struggling emotionally or having a hard time, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.