Channel Nine’s Today show team paid tribute to the late Sam Rubin on Monday morning’s program, following the entertainment reporter’s shock death at 64.
Rubin, who was a longtime correspondent for the Australian network, died of a heart attack on Friday. He was 64.
In an emotional video montage, the reporter was remembered for his work both with Nine and in Los Angeles.
‘Over the weekend, the Today show family lost one of our own,’ co-host Karl Stefanovic began.
‘Sam spent his life in the bright lights of Hollywood, interviewing stars. Now he’s being remembered by them,’ Sarah Abo added.
Channel Nine’s Today show team paid tribute to the late Sam Rubin on Monday morning’s program, following the entertainment reporter’s shock death at 64. Pictured: Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo
Videos from Rubin’s time on Channel Nine appeared on the screen, from crossing to Today Extra host David Campbell and former co-host Sonia Kruger.
Entertainment reporters Richard Wilkins and Brooke Boney also featured in the montage, as well as Jayne Azzopardi.
Following the tribute, Stefanovic, Abo, Wilkins and Boney appeared on a panel and shared their fondest memories of their late colleague.
‘It was always about the other people, never about him. He was such a beautiful man, such a great broadcaster,’ Wilkins said.
Rubin, who was a longtime correspondent for the Australian network, died of a heart attack on Friday. He was 64
Videos from Rubin’s time on Channel Nine appeared on the screen, from crossing to Today Extra host David Campbell and former co-host Sonia Kruger
‘He was just a such a pro, wasn’t he? Just loved his job, loved the industry.’
Meanwhile, Stefanovic shared some advice Rubin gave him when he first started out on the Today show.
‘He told me, when I first started on Today, “You’ve just got to be yourself.” And then some years later, he said, “There’s such a thing as being too much of yourself”,’ he recalled.
On Saturday morning, Stefanovic shared a photo with Sam on the set of LA based TV station KTLA to Instagram.
‘I absolutely adored every second with @samontv on air and off over the past two decades. His spirit. His laugh. His warm caring nature,’ he wrote.
‘He was a beautiful man. What a loss. All our love to his family. And to his tv family at @ktla5news @ktla_entertainment.’
Today entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins also shared a tribute to his colleague and said he would be missed.
‘The entertainment world has really lost one of its greatest colleagues and dear friends today,’ he said on Weekend Today.
‘For the last 20-odd years he’s been a member of our family, mainly through the Today show and Today Extra … but whenever the big stories broke, Sam was our go-to guy.’
‘And those beautiful people that he works with, they will be absolutely gutted today, obviously he brought this immense knowledge of the entertainment industry, but he brought this immense warmth as well.’
Rubin reportedly suffered a heart attack at home after doing his regular Hollywood news segment on Friday morning, according to Variety.
Following the tribute, Stefanovic, Abo, Wilkins and Boney appeared on a panel and shared their fondest memories of their late colleague
Karl Stefanovic also shared an emotional tribute to Sam Rubin over the weekend. Pictured Stefanovic with Rubin on set of LA based TV station KTLA
He was transported to UCLA West Hills in an ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The reporter, who was on air just yesterday, worked at KTLA since 1991, covering entertainment, movies and TV.
He also worked with Australian breakfast shows Today and Today Extra.
Hollywood Uncensored with Sam Rubin ran for 120 episodes, produced by his production company SRE, Inc.
SRE has also produced more than 200 hours of programming for broadcast and cable channels, including Live From red carpet shows.
Rubin was also a founding member of the Broadcast Film Critics’ Association.
Rubin interviewed some of the world’s most famous celebrities throughout his career
He is survived by his wife Leslie and four children.
In his last Instagram post, Rubin shared an interview with actress Jane Seymour.
Since the announcement of his passing, the network has posted a tribute and noted that Rubin’s ‘laugh, charm and caring personality touched all who knew him’.
‘KTLA 5 is profoundly saddened to report the death of Sam Rubin. Sam was a giant in the local news industry and the entertainment world, and a fixture of Los Angeles morning television for decades.
‘His laugh, charm and caring personality touched all who knew him. Sam was a loving husband and father: the roles he cherished the most. Our thoughts are with Sam’s family during this difficult time,’ the channel wrote on X.
Veteran reporter Rubin died at the age of 64 in Los Angeles, KTLA confirmed
His KTLA colleagues have also made teary-eyed tributes to the veteran on-air.
Rubin had received multiple Emmys awards, a Golden Mic Award for best entertainment reporter and a lifetime achievement award from the Southern California Broadcasters Association.
He was also named best entertainment reporter by the Los Angeles Press Club.
In 2013, Rubin was awarded the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Award for outstanding integrity in broadcast journalism.
Apart from this, he also supported several organizations including the MS 150 Bay to Bike Tour along with LA schools and literacy programs.
SRE has also produced over 200 hours of programming for broadcast and cable channels, including Live From red carpet shows
