SA TV host Ian von Memerty has died.
- SA TV personality Ian von Memerty has died after choosing to end his life on his own terms, as shared in his Facebook series, Dying For A Better Life.
- His family announced his death, asking for privacy and respect as they mourn their loss.
- In the series, he spoke about fears of ageing, losing independence, and wanting control over his end-of-life decisions.
South African personality Ian von Memerty has died at the age of 61.
News of his death was shared in a statement by his family on his official Facebook Page on Sunday.
“We are sad to announce that our beloved Ian von Memerty passed away at the age of 61 in Johannesburg in the early hours of 23 February 2026,” reads the announcement.
As a family, we have done everything we can to love and respect him on his journey. We ask for privacy and respect as we deal with our own pain, having lost someone we’ve loved very much.
In February, Von Memerty revealed in his Facebook web series, Dying for a Better Life, that he had chosen to end his life on his own terms. He set a date, which he kept private, and explained that his decision was rooted in autonomy.
Over the last few weeks, he spoke candidly about his fears of no longer being able to work, becoming financially dependent on his family, and facing a version of old age he does not want.
In a video, Von Memerty shared that telling his children about his decision was one of the worst days of his life.
“I am causing pain with this decision,” he admitted.
READ | ‘A life I don’t want’: SA TV host Ian von Memerty on the ‘agony’ of choosing euthanasia
Von Memerty was a theatre director, performer, writer, producer and TV presenter. He hosted Strictly Come Dancing and was a judge on the first four seasons of SA’s Got Talent. In the later part of his career, Von Memerty worked as an entertainer on cruise ships. After retiring from the industry, he worked as a pet sitter in Europe.
Von Memerty, who experienced criticism for his decision to end his life, told The Herald in an interview weeks before his death that it was an act of “self-deliverance”.
He shared with the publication that by documenting his journey publicly, he aimed to raise awareness and clarify that his decision was not influenced by depression.
In an interview with YOU, Von Memerty said the conversation around the right to choose “has become so blinkered”.
“I have no desire to remove faith from anyone’s life. It is a wonderful gift in people’s lives. It gives them security and safety. This [series is] for people like me who would like a sense of ownership in their old age when it comes to their dying,” he said.
Fourteen chapters of the series were posted on Facebook, and a reaction video was shared posthumously on 24 February.
In the video, Von Memerty said that despite the criticism he has received, he has also received affirmation.
“I have felt so affirmed and confirmed in my choice to speak up, because there are a lot of people like us, who feel like us and think like us about the right to choose.
Von Memerty is survived by his wife, Vivian, and their children, Oscar and Kasvia.
READ MORE | Ian von Memerty: My parents’ painfully slow deaths made me determined to choose when and how I die
