Clinical psychologist Nigel Latta has died, aged 58
The popular clinical psychologist, TV host and author was diagnosed with gastric cancer in 2024. His wife broke the news of his death: "Farewell my great love. You were never dying, just living until the moment you weren’t."
New Zealand psychologist, author and media personality Nigel Latta has died after living with cancer for just over a year. He was 58.
"Farewell my great love. You were never dying, just living until the moment you weren’t," Latta's wife, Natalie Flynn, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning.
"You fought cancer with enormous bravery. You’ve spent your life helping others in need. And now it’s your turn to rest."
"On Tuesday the 30th of September Nigel passed away with the same dignity and positivity that he carried through life. He will be dearly missed by his wife Natalie, daughter Rina, son Kieran, and three stepchildren Elijah, Maya and Leon."
Latta was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and told he had less than a year to live.
He said at the time he was diagnosed a month ago after going to his GP complaining of a "really uncomfortable, sort of full feeling at the back of my throat".
Latta revealed in a Facebook video that a gastroenterologist had found a tumour at the base of his stomach, and given him between six and 12 months to live. The cancer was both inoperable and incurable, he said.
"That was probably the most traumatic thing I've ever been through,' he said at the time.
"I remember standing outside after he told me this thing, and not knowing what to do or where to go. I remember standing there and being utterly paralysed."
Latta educated a generation of parents, helping raise their children with the advice he doled out on shows like The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show.
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But in March 2025, Latta said in a post on social media his cancer was in remission and he expected to live for "years and years".
"I've responded really well to chemo, and that hasn't affected me as badly as it does some people," he said at the time.
"And I can take a whole bunch of wonder drugs, and the wonder drugs are working.
"The original stomach tumour has now pretty much gone."
He was able to stay on the medication indefinitely, he said.
"So for me, I'm that guy ... who got given that terrible prognosis, but I'm going to be around for a long time."
Latta, an author and documentary producer was known for his deep dives into the psyches of criminals, troubled teens and parents, and for tackling gnarly social issues like obesity, poverty, and child abuse.
He presented true crime series Beyond the Darklands and the Politically Incorrect parenting shows, as well as his books on the same topics. Most recently, he presented the TVNZ show You've Been Scammed.
Latta's most recent book Lessons on Living was due to be released in October.
In May 2025, sitting down on RNZ's 30 with Guyon Espiner, for what turned out to be one of his last interviews, Latta said that in his decades of experience he's learned there's just one thing people want.
"Thirty years of doing people has just convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that people want to love and and be loved. That's all people want."
He went on: "The big learning from me over the last ten months has been really that obvious thing that we all know which is time with the people that we love is the most important thing.
"... but what happens is we don't let that knowledge actually change our behaviour and we keep doing the same old things.
Nigel Latta pictured with his wife Natalie Flynn
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"For me, what I want to do is hold my wife's hand. That's a good day out for me. And spend time with her and spend time with the kids. So I have changed my behaviour to do that.
"... My goals and aspirations have changed, I just want to hold her hand for about 30 more years. That's all I want."
Nigel Latta's most recent book Lessons on Living was due to be released in October.
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