FAREWELL NICK POPE
As the world of ufology mourns the loss of Nick Pope, one of the world’s most recognisable UFO researchers, we reflect on his extraordinary career and how he contributed to destigmatise UFOs.
By Lucianna Henry
Although naturally of a quiet and humble demeanour, Nick Pope was a very high-profile and respected researcher in the field of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP’s), also known as ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’ (UFO’s). Whether you have seen him as a regular contributor in almost 100 episodes of ‘Ancient Aliens’ or in any of the many, many documentaries or news flashes on UFO’s that he contributed to, you will probably remember him best for his passion and eagerness to share his knowledge with you. You might also feel you know him personally, as I do, which is why I refer to him here as ‘Nick’.
Whilst Nick is best known for his on-screen public image, he actually came to the subject of UFO’s when he was appointed as a civil servant to the ‘Flying Saucer Working Party’ (FSWP), colloquially known as ‘the UFO desk’ within the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) from 1991 to 1994. His role was to assess potential threats linked to Unidentified Areal Phenomena (UAP). At first, Nick was skeptical about the matter but his work and investigations led him to believe that UFO’s are a real phenomenon that needs be be studied and investigated. After leaving the UFO desk, Nick occupied other posts at the Ministry of Defense (it is customary to change post every few years). His final posting in the MoD was to the Directorate of Defence Security. Nick took early retirement in 2006, but when, under pressure from the British public, and to follow the example of the French Government and others, the UK government decided in 2007 to declassify and release its entire UFO files, Nick got involved as a consultant and an official person to release 60,000 pages of documents, now stored at the National Archives.
In 2009, the MoD announced that UFO sightings would no longer be investigated. Nick thought it was a mistake and left the UK vulnerable. He was criticised for his concern about national security risks associated to UFO’s. Yet, since the US recognised (after most of the rest of the world) the existence of UAP’s in 2020, and the subsequent congress hearings where members of the military testified under oath that they had witnessed or experienced close or even very close encounters (in the case of a Navy F18 pilot, as reported By Ryan Graves) with UAP, the idea of national security being compromised with UFO’s has been at the top of the agenda for many governments, and Nick has been vindicated over his concerns on the subject.
One of Nick’s well-known story is the one he related about a poster of a picture from the Calvine incident, a well-known UFO incident that happened next to the hamlet of Calvine, in Scotland in 1990. Two hikers witnessed a small army aeroplane next to a diamond-shaped UFO and took a picture of it. Although the ministry of defense asserted that it was a genuine picture, they did not discuss the affair in public and abstained from comments, which led to allegations of cover-up. Nick mentioned many times in interviews that he had the poster on the wall of his office in the ‘UFO desk’ for a long time but that one day, he went on holidays and when he came back, the poster had disappeared, together with the original six photographs of the incident.The absence of proof led to Nick’s credibility being questioned.
In 2022, he enlisted the help of a graphic artist to help him reconstruct the photograph from his memory, but it attracted criticism because it was seen as a hoax. Years later, David Clarke, a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University who, like Nick, had also worked for the ‘UFO desk’, and worked as a curator in Britain’s National archives, found the name of the original investigator of the incident at the Royal Air Force (RAF) base whilst going through the UFO documents. This investigator, who wished to remain anonymous, led Clarke to the former RAF press officer Craig Lindsay who had handled the photographs before they were sent to the MoD. He had kept one of the original pictures, which Clarke was able to have assessed as genuine and show the world, in the process rehabilitating Nick’s credibility about the story. Ironically, Clarke was a fierce critic of Nick’s…
After leaving public service, Nick became more and more involved in talking loudly about the subject and gave conferences around the world, mostly with the History channel ‘Ancient Aliens’ show, proponent of the Ancient astronaut theory, as well as contributed to many films, documentaries and even video games about the subject. He was also often one of the first experts on the UFO subject to be called by news agencies for any UFO-related matter. He contributed to works like ‘War of the Worlds’ ,’The Day the Earth Stood Still‘ and ‘Alien: Covenant.’
In 2015, he appeared in multiple episodes of UFO Declassified on Canada’s History Television, the UK’s Yesterday, and Smithsonian Channel in the United States. He often appeared on the New York Post UFO YouTube series The Basement Office.
Since 1952, when the Robertson Panel in the USA decided on a campaign of discreditation of the subject of UFO’s, their researchers have had to endure ridicule, mockery, attacks, intimidation, and more. It was even worse if they dared question mainstream history, or if they reached some sort of celebrity status, as Nick did. So he was no stranger to fierce attacks, including from fellow UFO researchers, but remained stoical and steadfast in his determination to keep asking questions, and look for the truth even if he knew that some answers could not be found, at least during his life-time. People who knew him well said how nice he was, and also extremely funny.
At Sentinel News, we know he was also generous because when Baptiste Firscourt decided to create the organization, Nick immediately rallied support for it through his own social media network, and Baptiste believes that Sentinel would not have existed without that push right at the start from Nick.
Nick has written six books, some fictional ones inspired by his own investigations, and some factual ones where he shares his knowledge about UFO’s.
Nick met Elizabeth Weiss , an American anthropologist and a professor emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at San Jose State University in2010 in a chance encounter inside a hotel lobby in San José. They fell in love and married three months later, in February 2011 during a UFO convention in Phoenix, Arizona, famous for the biggest mass-sighting ever in 1997.
They relocated together to Tucson, Arizona in the United States in 2012, where they built a life centred on shared interests in science, nature and exploration.
In 2024, Nick joined his Ancient Aliens co-hosts Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, William Henry, and Jason Martell on the Ancient Aliens LIVE U.S. Tour, where he continued to advocate the hypothesis that extraterrestrials have visited Earth for thousands of years.
On 12 February 2026, Nick published the following social media statement :
A while ago, following some digestive issues, I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Unfortunately, it’s Stage 4 and has metastasized to my liver. While I know that it’s kindness and hope that leads people to suggest healers and supposed miracle cures, and to say things like “fight it”, and “you can beat it”, I’m afraid my diagnosis and my situation leaves no doubt whatsoever: I can’t beat it.
What an amazing adventure I’ve had! A 21-year career at the UK Ministry of Defence, where I got involved in subjects ranging from financial policy to counter-terrorism; from military policing to UAP. And I saved six cows; it’s a long story! The things I’ve done; the places I’ve been; the people I’ve met; and the secrets I’ve been privy to. I wouldn’t have swapped it for the world. And then a second career, where my previous government UAP role brought me to the attention of the world’s media, leading me to become a regular commentator on TV news shows and documentaries, as well as consulting and acting as spokesperson on various UFO and alien-themed movies, TV series and video games. The media called me the real Fox Mulder!
The true highlight, of course, is life with my wonderful, beautiful and incredibly smart wife, Elizabeth. 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. We applied successfully for my Green Card and she had me shipped over and imported to the U.S., where a new adventure began, as Elizabeth and I enjoyed wildlife watching at our wonderful home in Tucson, desert hikes, film noir, true crime, country music, Sunday lunches with my in-laws, and much more besides. Recently, we had an amazing one-year adventure in New York City, living 5 minutes from Times Square, and having a wonderful view of the Empire State Building from our apartment window.
We proofread each other’s books and articles (I love commas, hyphens and exclamation points way more than Elizabeth, and managed to win at least a few of those battles), and I’m supporting her in her ongoing fight for free speech, academic freedom, and keeping political correctness, superstition and identity politics out of science and academia. The White House Press Secretary tweeted one of her recent newspaper articles, which shows the huge impact she’s having.
I kept working for as long as I could (right up until last week), with my various film/TV interviews, conference appearances, and live events, including my position as moderator of Ancient Aliens Live - where I think I did 94 shows. Sadly, the time has come where I’ve had to step away from this work.
A lot of people have followed my work on UAP. I’m loath to use the word “fans”, 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, and to frame it as a defense, national security and safety of flight issue - as well as a fascinating science problem. Some of this work has been public knowledge, but some such work, of necessity, has been done behind the scenes. I hope I’ve helped move the needle forward. But most people, of course, know me through my media interviews and live events. 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.
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.
Per Aspera Ad Astra!
Nick Pope, Tucson, Arizona, February 12, 2026
On April 7th 2026, Nick’s wife Elizabeth published this message:
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.
-Elizabeth Weiss
The many tributes to Nick in the newspapers, television channels, social media networks and podcasts across the world and political spectrum are a testament to how he managed to bring a taboo subject into the mainstream consciousness and contribute to a certain change in society.
As I reminisced after Nick’s death and thought of the many hours I have spent ‘in his company’ during my own search for truth on the UFO matter, I realised that he and all his brave colleagues who risked their careers, reputation and safety have changed the world’s attitude and views. A recent survey showed that 61% of the world population believe that other life forms exist in the universe.
These selfless men and women have also changed me, my views and perceptions of what it means to be human, to live on this planet, and how precious and fragile life, peace and Mother Earth are. Nick and his fellow UFO researchers have inspired me to finally have the courage of my opinions, to join Sentinel News and contribute to the conversation that is going on all around the world about UFO’s and life in the universe. The team of Sentinel News echo my feelings and join me in addressing Elizabeth our most sincere and heartfelt condolences