Kate Hawkesby: My tribute to long-time Newstalk ZB host Bruce Russell

OPINION:

I want to pay tribute to our beloved colleague Bruce Russell ... who died Sunday night – at work... ironically, I can't think of a time he wasn't at work. I don't think anyone worked longer hours than Bruce. He seemed omnipresent here.

From news reading, to overnights, to his show 'In My Day', he was part of the fabric of this place. But he was very beloved not just because he was part of the furniture here, but because he had such a loyal and dedicated following of listeners, many of you whom I'm sure are still reeling from the news this morning. His listeners were fierce in their loyalty to him; they truly felt part of his community and his conversations. And he was loyal back to them.

And I know many of them – there was a crossover between his show and mine in that I came on right after him, so there'll be those who were tuned into Bruce who'd still be tuned in at 5am when I come on, and I know how devoted to Bruce they were. My condolences to not just his family this morning, but all those who'll really feel his loss here. And that's in large part his huge following who tuned in to chat to him, feed back to him, ask his opinions or advice.

Bruce was a stickler for history and information, and in that he was a true old school broadcaster, he knew his stuff. He had institutional knowledge. He was also very sceptical about newcomers here. You had to prove yourself to Bruce.

When I first started here many moons ago as a newsreader on the then Paul Holmes Breakfast, he was very sceptical of me, another TV person coming to radio, he wasn't sure. Years later, when I started this show, as a host coming on right after him, we were in studios side by side so as he left his studio, I'd be walking into mine and we'd have a brief chat, but he was still quite sceptical of me.

And then one day – Meghan Markle blew on to the scene – and I was – it felt like at the time, the only person saying I don't trust her, something's not right ... and that was it. That was the moment Bruce decided - I think - that he liked me. I got such serious heat for saying what I thought about Markle, but Bruce agreed with me. He saw what I saw. I'll never forget the day he bowled into my studio just before my show started and said – "Meghan Markle... you're on to it!"

I told him I was getting serious backlash for saying I didn't trust her... and he said, "don't pay any attention to it – stick to your guns". So I felt I had his seal of approval at that point, and from then on he would chat to me about the royals on a regular basis, he would sometimes come out into the newsroom in his breaks and show me texts he'd printed off about subjects he thought I'd like or laugh at, he always asked my thoughts on any unfolding Harry and Meghan drama.

He was very supportive of our show and very kind to us. It can be a very lonely place pre-dawn in a newsroom, so the small team who work these crazy hours have a natural affinity for each other, we're all in the same boat – limited sleep, wacky work hours.

So I will miss our morning chats as we passed the baton between our shows. He will be extremely hard to replace, and he'll be sorely missed by his loyal listeners.

So my condolences to all those feeling his loss.