Downfall of Channel 7 presenter Andrew OKeefe
While once known for his charismatic on-air persona as one of Australian TV’s most prominent faces, the only coverage of Andrew O’Keefe in recent times has been of his spectacular downfall.
The 50-year-old former lawyer began his TV career in 2003 when he featured in Channel 7’s sketch comedy series Big Bite. Later that year he began hosting the network’s Deal or No Deal
He went on to host the game show for a decade and even featured as himself as its host in an episode of Australian comedy Kath and Kim.
O’Keefe also co-hosted the tri-network tsunami appeal Reach Out for relief efforts around Asia in 2005, and in the same year hosted short-lived Dragons Den, and co-hosted the 47th Logie Awards.
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He began as Channel 7’s Weekend Sunrise co-host in 2005 alongside Monique Wright, and often substituted for David Koch on Sunrise during the week.
Between 2007 and 2009, he hosted quiz show The Rich List, which was ultimately axxed, and in 2015 began as the host of Seven’s new game show, The Chase Australia, which replaced Deal or No Deal.
He became the chair of domestic violence charity the White Ribbon Foundation when it was established in 2007 before it went into liquidation in 2019. The charity has since been relaunched and has no affiliation with O’Keefe.
Damning nightclub footage: 2008
While serving as an ambassador, he featured in damning video footage in 2008 collapsing into a gutter outside Melbourne nightclub, Revolver, accompanied by a mystery blonde woman.
The footage, obtained by the Herald Sun, showed O’Keefe trying to smoke a cigarette while stumbling and ultimately falling into the gutter.
Seven later issued a statement saying he was a “family man” and he had “never set out to deliberately offend anyone”.
In the same year, he was appointed as a member of the government’s National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children – an initiative spearheaded by then prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Cuban car accident: 2015
During a family holiday in Cuba in 2015, O’Keefe had a 14-hour stay in local custody after they became involved in a car accident.
He told New Idea at the time that “unfortunately ran into a government minister and his flunkies – which meant no matter how much I argued, it was all our fault”.
O’Keefe said he was eventually released because he “managed to persuade the police that I wasn’t a flight risk”.
Resigns and separates from wife: 2017
In 2017, while active as a White Ribbon ambassador, hosting The Chase, and co-hosting Weekend Sunrise, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to television and charity.
Later that year he took a step back from his TV career and resigned from the weekend breakfast show, citing his desire to put more time into his family.
That year, he separated from his wife of 18 years, with their divorce being finalised in 2019.
Tasmania nightclub: 2018
He became the subject of an unsavoury allegation in 2018 that alleged he grabbed and kissed a 21-year-old female student while posing for a photo at a Tasmanian nightclub.
The woman later described him as being “clearly very wasted” at the time.
Court scuffle: 2019
In 2019, he was involved in a scuffle with a photographer outside court, where he was facing charges for driving an unregistered car. He pleaded guilty to the offence.
He later took a break from hosting The Chase to address what he labelled a “long-term health crisis".
Domestic violence charges: 2021
In January last year, O’Keefe was arrested and charged with domestic violence and common assault against his partner.
NSW Police on behalf of the woman placed an interim apprehended violence order (AVO) against him.
He was reportedly an involuntary inpatient at Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital for several weeks onwards from January 30 following the altercation.
His contract with Seven came to an end after a 17-year partnership, but prerecorded episodes featuring him as the host continued to air, before Larry Emdur took over as The Chase’s host.
The charges against him were dismissed in June after a community magistrate found he was in a hypomanic bipolar state at the time of his offending.
He was ordered to complete an intensive mental health treatment program.
Months later in September, O’Keefe was arrested on new domestic violence-related offences, including contravening an apprehended violence order and assault.
The matter was set for an August 2022 return to court.
Paddy wagon footage: 2022
More Coverage
Footage that surfaced on Thursday, following O’Keefe’s arrest on separate charges, showed him in the back of a police vehicle, yelling and slamming on the internal walls.
He was heard shouting, “F … you, I’m a victim of crime. I’m a victim of crime you f … wits”, and at one point, appeared to slam his body into one of the walls.
O’Keefe is the nephew of prolific rock star Johnny O’Keefe, and son of former Supreme Court judge Barry O’Keefe.
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