HGTV Star Loren Ruch Dead at 55

HGTV head of content Loren Ruch, who was alaso the co-host of HGTV’s House Party, died last Thursday (June 12). He was 55 years old.

According to Variety, his cause of death was acute myeloid leukemia.

In a memo sent out of staffers after his death, Warner Bros Television Group CEO Channing Dungey remembered Ruch as “the rare leader who lifted everyone around him” and “the connective tissue of every room he entered — the glue that bound teams, departments and friendships.”

“He possessed the rare gift of making people feel seen, valued and inspired to do their best work,” Dungey adds.

A longtime TV programming executive who had been with HGTV since 2008, Ruch worked on game shows, daytime talk shows and morning talk shows over the course of his career. He also served as a board member for Live Out Loud, an organization aimed at supporting LGBTQ+ youth by connecting them with LGBQ+ professionals in their communities.

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As a host of HGTV’s House Party, Ruch and his co-host Brian Balthazar interviewed HGTV stars and fans, providing an insider’s perspective on all things television. Balthazar is an executive producer and show developer, as well as an onscreen personality.

Ruch shared his cancer diagnosis with fans back in April 2024, saying at the time that he planned to undergo a stem cell transplant and describing his health journey as a “very raw and unexpected adventure.”

“The big C word. I still can barely get myself to say it,” he reflected. “In my case it’s Leukemia, and I’m going to fight this every way I can — with the love and support my incredible family and friends.”

Ruch is survived by his husband David Salas, as well as his parents and brother. Per Variety, fans wishing to honor Ruch’s memory can make a donation to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation or Be the Match, a foundation benefiting those diagnosed with blood cancers and disorders.