History Channel ‘Ancient Aliens’ UFO Expert Nick Pope Dies at 60

Nick Pope, a former U.K. Ministry of Defence and UFO expert who frequently appeared on the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 60.

The passing was announced on Facebook on Monday (April 6) by Pope’s wife, Elizabeth Weiss, who wrote, “My heart is breaking — Nick passed away this afternoon at our home. The last few weeks of his life, even as he suffered, he managed to do a few interviews from home. I was so lucky to have met and to have married Nick. He was a wonderful husband. I loved him dearly.”

Pope first revealed his cancer battle on February 12, writing in a Facebook post that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer that had spread to his liver. In the emotional post, Pope noted, “I can’t beat it,” and went on to reflect on the “amazing adventure” he’d had in his life, including a 21-year career at the U.K. Ministry of Defence.

His government career, which involved overseeing unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), led to a second career as an on-screen UFO expert and spokesperson on several TV shows, movies, and even video games. “The media called me the real Fox Mulder!” Pope wrote.

Most notably, Pope was a regular guest on the long-running History Channel series Ancient Aliens, which covers topics such as ancient civilizations, extraterrestrial contact and ufology, and popular conspiracy theories.

The official Ancient Aliens Facebook page paid tribute to Pope, writing, “We are saddened by the passing of Nick Pope who was a beloved member of the Ancient Aliens family. He challenged us to look beyond what we know and question what may be possible. He will be deeply missed.”

In his February 12 post, Pope celebrated his wife, stating, “She’s a real-life Agent Scully: a scientist, a skeptic and a redhead. We met randomly in the lobby bar of the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San José (she was an anthropology professor at San José State University) in October 2010 and got married 3 months later.”

Pope also thanked his “fans,” though he noted he hated to use that word “because I’m not a celebrity.”

“But I am a public figure, and many people have followed me on my journey as I’ve sought to keep the UAP subject in the public eye,” he added. “To everyone who’s followed me on my journey, thank you – and good luck with your own journeys. I wish you every success and happiness.”

He concluded, “It’s all been amazing, and I’m grateful for the things I’ve done, not mournful for the things that I won’t now get to do.”