Jim Hopkins: key obituary facts
Is Jim Hopkins dead? Yes. Jim Hopkins died on July 27, 2026, at age 79.
Cause of death: Jim Hopkins's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Jim Hopkins known for?
He was a New Zealand broadcaster (1946-).
More about Jim Hopkins
Jim Hopkins, the New Zealand broadcaster and politician who served on the Waitaki District Council, died on July 27, 2026, aged 80.
Born on January 1, 1946, Hopkins was known for work across television, radio and theatre, including as a scriptwriter for Close to Home and as presenter of Fast Forward, Don’t Tell Me, The Inventors and Dateline Monday. He also performed in The BNZ Festival Debates and worked as a radio talkback host on Radio Pacific in Auckland and Radio Avon in Christchurch.
In 1998 he published Blokes & Sheds, which quickly reached number one on New Zealand‘s sales list, followed by Inventions from the Shed in 1999 and a five-part film documentary series on inventors in Australia.