This Morning co-host Ben Shephard has paid tribute to his colleague and “dear friend” Sam Rubin, who was loved by audiences and celebrities alike.

US veteran journalist Rubin was a regular on ITV’s This Morning since 2016, and was also an anchor for KTLA news in California, before his death aged 64 last week.

Shephard began This Morning by telling viewers it was “very heavy hearts” that he was telling audiences that their “wonderful Hollywood reporter” had died.

“For decades, audiences across the world welcomed him into their homes, as the seasoned Hollywood reporter and friendly face that he was,” he also said.

Co-host Cat Deeley said: “As a multi-Emmy award-winning fixture in Hollywood. Sam’s signature style not only made him an industry titan but a favourite with celebrities on the red carpet, who all thought of him fondly.

“He became a household name on US TV station KTLA where he woke up Tinseltown every morning for over 30 years.”

This Morning played a clip of the KTLA team, tearfully announcing his death.

“To see how special he must have been to all of that team as he was to us here, he will be dearly missed,” Shephard said.

“Our thoughts are with Sam’s wife Leslie and his four children and of course his KTLA colleagues.”

The programme also played clips of Rubin talking to previous hosts Phillip Schofield, Holly Willoughby, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford and him being praised by actor Tom Hanks on the red carpet.

“Few knew the entertainment world as well as Sam, a man as professional as he was endearing and his loss is keenly felt by all of us here at This Morning,” Shephard said.

“You can see why he was loved by so many people looking back at all those amazing clips.”

The show was also joined by LA reporter Ross King, who has worked on ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain as well as KTLA, and called Rubin “helpful and insightful”.

“He would try and get you to do the most outrageous things and try and get you in trouble and then go, not my fault,” King added.

“But he had that wealth of experience, which is so rare in the business sometimes and as you guys know, sometimes we all have to tap dance on the red carpet because you have no idea what’s happening, or who’s coming next.

“And you don’t know who some of these people are, and Sam could do that, he had an absolute art.”

Appearing emotional, King said: “I hope Sammy, you’re looking down and seeing how much love there is for you because it’s remarkable and you know, Sam loved being Sam and he loved being on camera and he was loved.

“I just hope he can see it. I hope (he) can see the love that he’s got from the industry, that people are talking about him so much that it’s making such big news and again, the outpouring of grief from people within the industry and those stars that loved him as well.”

Hollywood actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Hanks, Reese Witherspoon, William Shatner, Ben Stiller and Ryan Reynolds are also among the stars to have celebrated the life of the late journalist.