The respected clinical psychologist, author, producer and broadcaster died on September 30, aged 58, after being diagnosed with gastric cancer in 2024.
Two months after his death, on the couple’s anniversary, his wife, Natalie Flynn, tells the Herald that despite being, by his definition, a hero in his field, he was “self-effacing” and “would have laughed off the idea” of officially being hailed one.
“In a million different ways he went well out of his way to find and correct injustices and inequalities: ‘to give everyone a fair shake’,” says Flynn.
“He would often ease people’s suffering with no recognition or extrinsic reward.”
Flynn says since Latta’s passing, she regularly receives messages from people telling her how he supported them, even when he was nearing the end of his cancer battle.
In the two months without him, Flynn, who is also a psychologist, says she’s naturally struggled to find her way but plans to honour his wishes for her future in time.
“As would be expected, I’m heartbroken. And that’s the price of having experienced deep love, which I wouldn’t trade for anything.
“But Nigel was clear that his wish for me is to find joy again and that I need to be brave to do this. I certainly don’t always feel brave, but I’m trying to behave bravely, and as a result I’m finding satisfaction and meaning in life. I haven’t stumbled upon actual joy yet. But I know I’ll get there.”
Flynn says the five kids they share between them are adjusting in their own ways, at their own speeds.
“They’ve all loved and been loved by such a wonderful person. So, there’s a lot for them to cling on to during this time.”
Something the family take some comfort in is the opportunity to honour and share the legacy he created off and on screen.
In many ways, Latta’s TV work was ahead of his time, investigating difficult subjects and making complicated information a little easier to understand.
He spent time in prisons to learn more about the psychological effects of New Zealand’s criminal system, tackled questions about addiction, investigated scammers, and successfully championed mental health.
He was well known for his no-nonsense parenting advice, advocating for practical strategies in raising children he was nominated for Best Presenter at the 2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards for The Politically Incorrect Guide To Teenagers, which was also nominated for Best Information Programme.
Latta was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2012 for his contributions to psychology.
In 2016, he then co-founded production company Ruckus Media, which produced both his own content and feature films such as Born This Way: Awa’s Story and Stan.
Flynn says Latta had given plenty of thought to the impact of his content and that the viewer was pivotal to everything he made.
“He held them in his mind as individual people and he aimed to leave his viewers feeling reassured or well informed or challenged to think about things in different ways.”
TV host Nigel Latta
Flynn says they treasured his witty and astute observations and conversations. Photo / Supplied
Flynn says he loved hearing from people who felt changed or challenged by his work, and television was the medium that allowed him to help as many people as possible.
“For him, good television needed to be entertaining while being ethical and responsible to both the people in front of the cameras and the audience.”
Of all Latta’s on-screen achievements, she says he was most proud of The Curious Mind, a 2018 series he produced, exploring the miracles of the human mind.
“He really enjoyed delivering the combination of neuroscience and psychology in a way that respected the intelligence of the viewers.”
The day before his death, his final book, Lessons on Living, was released, and it was the one that came easiest to him.
“He described this book as his ‘most honest one’ and told me that it practically wrote itself.”
Lessons of Living, By Nigel Latta. Photo / Supplied
Flynn says Latta’s proudest achievement was the strong relationships he had with other people and his “ability to show and receive love”.
“And he was proud of our loving relationship. I’m proud of that too.”
While Latta created an impact and legacy in the hearts and minds of viewers, what his family hold onto is how he made them feel: “safe, loved and understood.”
Flynn says they treasured his witty and astute observations and conversations.
“He was a real raconteur and loved storytelling, most often accompanied with physical humour, a pose or a facial expression that summed everything up. So much laughter.”
Flynn says Latta was grateful for the support he had from New Zealanders who loved his work. She hopes they continue to use the things they learned from him.
“Positivity and joy were in Nigel’s DNA, but he ultimately made a conscious choice to look for the best in people or at least understand them. I know he would want everyone to do the same.
“He would want people to keep looking for the joy and the good in this messy, beautiful, unpredictable and sometimes painful thing we call life. We can all do that.”
Jenni Mortimer is the New Zealand Herald’s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor.