Twin brothers dead in ‘suicide pact’ – Billy and Joe Smith who starred in My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding ‘couldn’t face living without each other,’ after battling cancer and depression
Twin brothers who starred in UK TV show ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’ died in ‘suicide pact’ after one was diagnosed with cancer and the pair subsequently battled depression
The 32-year-old men named locally as Billy and Joe Smith and were found dead on a leafy country lane in Sevenoaks, Kent in the UK, on Saturday
The identical twin brothers ‘couldn’t face living without each other,’ family revealed
Kent Police closed a lane in Sevenoaks area after the bodies were found in a tree
The family previously expressed concern for the twin brothers, because Joe had been diagnosed with cancer and it had affected Billy
Twin brothers who previously appeared on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. Billy and Joe Smith [photo], from Kent, UK died in a suspected ‘suicide pact’ after a cancer diagnoses and battle with depression.
Billy and Joe Smith, both 32, were named by friends and family as the victims of a double death being investigated by police.
Police in Kent closed a lane in the Sevenoaks area after the bodies were discovered in a tree just before midday on Saturday morning.
On a Facebook post just days before their suspected suicide, the pair were filmed dancing and singing together.
The family is believed to have previously expressed concern for the pair, who were found just days after Christmas and their birthday on December 16.
Their cousin, Phoebe Charleen Smith, said that Joe had been diagnosed with cancer, and this had deeply affected his brother, Billy.
Paddy Doherty, who co-starred in the popular Channel 4 show with the twins, asked his followers to pray for their families, and in a video described the duo as ‘angels’.
The twins’ Big Fat Gypsy co-star Paddy Doherty [photo], took to Facebook asked his followers to pray for their families, and in a video described the duo as ‘angels’
‘I’m very sorry for their troubles from the bottom of my heart. May god look after them, may god have mercy on them, they are two angels, harmless, they were unbelievable…they’re in the kingdom of heaven walking on gold.’
![Phoebe Charleen Smith, [left], with Billy and Joe Smith 1.JPG](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Phoebe-Charleen-Smith-left-with-Billy-and-Joe-Smith-1.jpg?resize=620%2C451&ssl=1)
The family is believed to have previously expressed concern for the pair, who were found just days after Christmas and their birthday on December 16. Phoebe Charleen Smith, [left], said their cousin Joe had been diagnosed with cancer, and this had deeply affected his brother, Billy. – The The twin brothers are pictured [right], understood to be in Tenerife
During their time on the the popular Channel 4 show, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, the twins were filmed on their way to Tenerife and had discussed getting married
Phoebe revealed that: ‘Joey had cancer, and Billy told him ‘I’d never be able to live without you.’
‘Joey told the family he got the all-clear after chemo two months ago, but we don’t know if that’s true now.
‘They went missing, and Joey’s phone was turned off, so we knew something went wrong.
‘Then we found a note saying they wanted it like this, and we would find them in the woods where they played together as children years ago. My Uncle ran up there and found them.’
A source told the newspaper that the family were concerned that the duo were battling depression.
Friends and family members who knew the two brothers took to social media to pay tribute to the men, who were ‘loved all over the world.’
Billy’s partner Kristina Davey, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, described him as ‘perfect, pure and lovely’ in a heartbreaking tribute.
She said: ‘Hardest day of my life. RIP my perfect Bill, you were so pure so lovely.
‘You made me the happiest girl – did everything for me, showed me love I never had. You always see stuff like this but you just never think it’ll happen to you.
The bodies of twin brothers were found together in a country lane yesterday in Sevenoaks, Kent in the UK
Phoebe Smith posted a number of tributes to her cousins on her social media, including this photo of Joe, the twin diagnosed with cancer
‘I can’t believe I have to type this together struggling to speak never mind put a sentence together. I’m gonna make you so so proud my Bill, my life, my angel.’
Billy Welch, a spokesman for Britain’s Romani community, told The Telegraph, the community often ‘suffers in silence.’
Mr Welch said: ‘This tragedy should be a wake-up call about high suicide rates among the travelling community.
‘Life can be very difficult for Romany people and travelers, and they often suffer in silence.’
Many people took to social media to pay tribute to the brothers [photo], after their bodies were found on Dec 28
The scene on the leafy country lane where the two brothers were found dead on Saturday, along a leafy lane in Sevenoaks, Kent in the UK
‘But they had that special bond that twins have. They were ever so close. They lived for each other.’
A tribute page has since been set up for the men and has already received nearly 2,000 likes.
Brothers billy and Joe Smith had worked as landscapers, seen [photo] working during an episode of the TV show
During their stint on the show the twin brothers, Billy and Joe Smith, [photo], talked about their lifestyle. Their family revealed that Joe had been diagnosed with cancer, and this had deeply affected his brother, Billy
Phoebe Charleen Smith who is a cousin to the Smith brothers told a UK paper: ‘My cousins were loved all over the world, as you can see.’
The brothers had starred in the third series of hit Channel 4 show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. They were 24-years-old at the time and had been working as landscapers.
During one episode they talked about their traveler [Romani] lifestyle and discussed their plans to get married.
The family is believed to have previously expressed concern for the 32-year-old pair, who were named locally following the discovery – just days after Christmas.
Sorry for your loss as life is still to go on but they forget who they are leaving behind as they are to keep your memory’s going. Rest in peace.