Pioneer of Travel Experts | Senior Entertainer Chu Wai Tak Passes Away at 94

Veteran entertainment and media personality Zhu Weide, who is hailed as the “founding ancestor of Hong Kong travel,” and nicknamed “Uncle Zhu,” passed away peacefully yesterday at the age of 94. His social media page, “Uncle Zhu’s Journey,” posted the news today to confirm his death.

TVB Founding Pioneer Awarded the Professional Actor Award in 2014

Zhu Weide was a legendary figure in Hong Kong’s television industry, and one of the first ten employees when Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) launched. He began his performing career in the 1960s after joining Lai Toone and Sound Broadcasting. After switching to TVB in 1967, he served the broadcaster for 53 years, leaving only in 2020.

His hosting style was highly distinctive—clear diction, perfectly articulated speech, and brimming with strong vitality. He served as the host of TVB’s first-generation morning talk show, “Dawn News and Joyful Gatherings,” and the network’s first travel program, “From the Big River to the South and the North,” and he also hosted “Sports World,” “New Looks for Women,” “Urban Leisure,” and the long-running arts and education program “Cultural Plaza,” among others—accompanying generations of people in Hong Kong as they grew up. In 2014, he was presented with TVB’s “Professional Actor Award,” in recognition of his contributions to the performing arts.

An Authority on Hong Kong History and Anecdotes, with Multiple Publications

Zhu Weide was not only an outstanding host and actor, but also an authority researcher on Hong Kong’s history, culture, and local anecdotes. He had deep knowledge of Hong Kong’s mountains, rivers, landforms, and historical sites and relics, and published multiple books, including “Hong Kong Anecdotes,” “Old Visages of the Hong Kong Harbor,” and “Travel with Uncle Zhu: Hong Kong in Its Original Form,” among others.

The “Uncle Zhu’s Journey” page said that Uncle Zhu’s signature voice, his humorous and insightful way of speaking, and his love for Hong Kong will be forever remembered. It said he was not only an excellent performer, but also an enlightenment figure for many people to learn about Hong Kong’s history and culture. The post added that his family hopes to handle the arrangements for his passing quietly, and thanked all sectors for their concern.