Australian television legend George Negus has died at the age of 82 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Negus, one of the original 60 Minutes reporters when the show launched in Australia, was diagnosed with dementia about five years ago and has been living in an aged care facility in Sydney since late 2021.
His family confirmed his death Tuesday afternoon.
“Despite the challenges that diseases like Alzheimer’s inflict on families, we still shared beautiful moments, laughter and happiness together in recent times,” his family said in a statement.
“We also learned a lot.”
Last month, his son Ned Negus said his father was not talking.
‘For those of you who don’t know, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about five years ago.
“Now he doesn’t talk most of the time (mind-blowing for me, but also for any of you who know him).”
Legendary current affairs television journalist George Negus dies
Negus made his last notable public appearance at the November 2020 memorial service for television pioneer Gerald Stone after the inaugural 60 Minutes executive producer died at age 87.
Stone had chosen Negus, Ray Martin and Ian Leslie to head the news program in 1979 when Kerry Packer imported the format from the United States for broadcast on his Nine Network.
At its peak in the 1980s, 60 Minutes was a ratings giant, with a third or more of the national television audience tuning in at 7.30 on Sunday nights.
Negus became a household name as he toured the world, often reporting from war zones, with his thick mustache and open-necked shirts contributing to a spectacular image.
Before Negus’s health deteriorated to the point where he needed full-time care, he had lived on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales since the late 1980s with his wife Kirsty Cockburn.
“(Mom) is by his side most days helping him get through it, helping him remember (even the smallest thing) and feel,” Ned wrote. ‘A big shout out to her too.’
Born in Brisbane, Negus was a secondary school teacher until he was 20, when he began writing for newspapers such as The Australian, followed by a stint on ABC’s groundbreaking This Day Tonight.
Negus served as press secretary to Attorney General Lionel Murphy during Gough Whitlam’s brief Labor government and was hand-picked by Stone to help establish 60 Minutes.
He worked on the show until 1986, sharing reporting duties with Leslie, Martin, Wendt and near the end of his tenure with Jeff McMullen.
He presented George Negus Tonight, formerly known as New Dimensions, on the national broadcaster from 2002 to 2004.
The following year, he began presenting Dateline on SBS before becoming a regular panelist on Ten’s The Project, and later presented 6.30 with George Negus on the same network.
Negus was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2015 “for significant service to the media as a journalist and television presenter, and to conservation and the environment”.