Talkback trouper Bruce LISTENERS LOSE A FRIEND

The Newstalk ZB family shares their memories of a colourful colleague

In the wee hours of many mornings as well as Saturday nights, Bruce Russell could be found behind the microphone at Newstalk ZB, treating listeners to delicious dollops of his dry humour and vast general knowledge.

The veteran radio host had fans all over the country, but on the morning of Monday April 25, he never made it to air. Instead, the beloved broadcaster died suddenly at the radio studios while preparing for his show. He was in his early 70s.

As those who knew him scrambled to come to terms with Bruce’s death, they all agreed he would be sorely missed – not only by his family, friends and colleagues but also those who tuned in to his show.

“Bruce was a thoroughly unique and lovable colleague with a devilish sense of humour,” shared Newstalk ZB host Tim Beveridge. “His death has left a hole in many people’s lives, including his treasured listeners, for whom he was not just a talkback host but also a friend, counsellor and companion.”

Bruce, who is survived by his wife Lorna and son Andrew, worked all over New Zealand during his radio career. He started out writing advertisements and then segued into newsreading and on-air announcing.

He went from Apple Radio in Hastings to Radio Caroline in Timaru and then to Christchurch, where he turned his hand to writing storylines for a children’s TV show.

Later, he moved to Taumarunui to manage a

King Country radio station before joining Newstalk ZB around 22 years ago.

The broadcaster always wanted to give the best he could on air, longtime ZB colleague Tim Dower said last week, adding, “He loved his work, just loved it.”

Another ZB broadcaster, Tim Roxborough, described him as “eccentric”, “enigmatic” and “hilarious”.

“Bruce had a gargantuan general knowledge,” recalls Tim. “That knowledge, especially of old TV shows and movies and musicians, was a large part of why he was so beloved by his listeners. I genuinely thought he’d be on the air until he was at least 100.”

The station’s breakfast show host Mike Hosking was always the first to see Bruce in the mornings, as the elder broadcaster was ending his show and Mike was about to start his.

“It’s a lonely business, overnights,” shares Mike. “And Bruce is there in the studio, chatting away, doing his thing, his own inimitable thing… He always had something to say, another story to tell, something interesting to impart. And that’s the mark of a great broadcaster.”

Not that Bruce wasn’t sometimes caught on the hop! His ZB colleague Jenny Woods says her favourite “Bruce story” was when she arrived in the studio at 4am to discover he’d fallen asleep on air.

“I didn’t want to give him a fright, so I crept in and gently touched his arm,” she recalls. In an example of “complete professionalism”, she says his “head lurched up, his finger went out on the mic” and he succinctly said “Newstalk ZB – back shortly” before firing off an ad.

‘I didn’t want to give him a fright, so I crept in and gently touched his arm’