Graham Bell, a veteran officer who became famous as the straight-talking host of a police reality TV show, has died. He was 78.
His family confirmed the news in a statement, saying he died peacefully surrounded by loved-ones yesterday after a battle with cancer.
"He leaves behind his devoted wife of 57 years, Joyce, his children David, Megan, and Chrissy, their partners Shar, Dobbo, and Morne, and his adored grandchildren Tom, Ruby, Scarlett, Ollie, Jack and Bella," it read.
He retired from the police in 2001 but continued to serve the public through his work on Police Ten 7, which he hosted from 2002 until 2014.
"Bell - a retired Detective Inspector - was an avuncular grouch who earnt the respect of the viewers," Stuff TV reviewer Graeme Tuckett wrote in 2023.
"No matter how salty Bell was in describing the 'lunatic scumbags' and 'gutless morons' who featured each week, there was also no hiding that Bell had a real love of community and the best interests of the victims at heart."
Before the TV role, Bell headed investigations into some of the nation's most harrowing crimes.
In 1998, he led a team of 60 officers probing the violent home invasion and murder of Reporoa woman Beverly Bouma - one of 19 murder cases he oversaw during his career.
A review in 2021 concluded that Police Ten 7's "goodies-versus-baddies" format was not working anymore - and that Bell's "provocative language" had been unhelpful.
The show was given a new presenter and a new name, but eventually pulled in 2023.
