Andrew O'Keefe

Andrew Patrick O'Keefe AM (born 1 October 1971) is an Australian former television presenter and lawyer. He is best known for being the host of the game shows Deal or No Deal and The Chase Australia. He was also the co-host of Weekend Sunrise from 2005 to 2017.

For the railway engineer, see Andrew O'Keefe (engineer).

Andrew O'Keefe
O'Keefe in 2006
Born (1971-10-01) 1 October 1971
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesA.O.K
Years active2003–2021
Known for
Spouse(s)Eleanor Campbell (div. 2019)
Children3

O'Keefe worked as an intellectual property lawyer with law firm Allens Arthur Robinson.[1]

Television career

O'Keefe first started his television career in 2003 in Channel Seven's show Big Bite. Later the same year he began hosting Deal or No Deal.

In 2005, O'Keefe co-hosted the tri-network tsunami appeal Reach Out for relief efforts around Asia. In the same year, he hosted the short-lived Dragons Den and co-hosted the 47th TV Week Logie Awards.

From 2005 to 2017, O'Keefe co-hosted Weekend Sunrise on Saturday and Sunday mornings with journalist Monique Wright.[2] He also regularly substituted for David Koch on Sunrise. He presented the program for two weeks whilst Koch was on holidays during the summer period of 2013 alongside his former Weekend Sunrise co-host Samantha Armytage.

From 2007 to 2009, O'Keefe hosted the quiz show The Rich List.

On 31 May 2013, O'Keefe commenced playing the role of King Herod in the Australian tour of the Jesus Christ Superstar arena show.[3][4] However, on 14 June 2013, he was admitted to hospital with a neck injury requiring surgery and was forced to relinquish the role for the rest of the tour. O'Keefe believed the injury was aggravated during a performance of the show.[4]

In 2015, O'Keefe began presenting Seven's new game show, The Chase Australia.[5]

In December 2017, O'Keefe announced his resignation as co-host of Weekend Sunrise after 12 years with the show.[6][7]

O'Keefe's contract with the Seven Network expired at the end of 2020 and he was replaced by Larry Emdur for The Chase Australia.[8][9]

Honours

In January 2017 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his television and charity work.[10]

Personal life

O'Keefe is one of five children.[11] His father was Barry O'Keefe, a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. He is a nephew of the Australian rock and roll singer Johnny O'Keefe.[12][13]

He attended Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, and then studied arts and law at the University of Sydney,[13]

O'Keefe was married and has three children. In 2017 the couple separated and in 2019 they divorced.

Community and charity work

O'Keefe is a former chairman of the White Ribbon Australia, an organisation dedicated to the prevention of violence against women.[14] He was one of the founding members of the campaign in Australia and was an ambassador from 2004, prior to the organisation's dissolution in 2019.[15][16]

As a result of his work with the White Ribbon Australia, O'Keefe was appointed to the inaugural National Council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women in May 2008, which drafted the report Time for Action: Australia's National Plan for Reducing Violence Against Women and their Children on behalf of the federal government.[17][18][19]

Arrests and criminal charges

In January 2021, O'Keefe was arrested and charged with domestic violence and common assault against his partner. An interim apprehended violence order was sought against O'Keefe by NSW Police on behalf of his partner.[20][21][22] In June 2021, O'Keefe had the charges dismissed as the community magistrate found that he was in a hypomanic bipolar state when the offending occurred.[23][24] He was ordered to complete an intensive mental health treatment program.[25]

In September 2021, O'Keefe was arrested by police for domestic violence related offences, including contravening an apprehended violence order and assault.[26][27]

On 27 January 2022, O'Keefe was arrested after he allegedly grabbed a woman by the throat, pushed her to the ground, and punched and kicked her at his unit in Sydney.[28] He was later refused bail a week after his arrest.[29]

On 11 February 2022, he pleaded guilty to possession of 1.5 grams of marijuana.[30]

O'Keefe remains at Silverwater Jail, his next hearing set for later in 2022.[31]

References
  1. "Changing Channels: Andrew O'Keefe on Allens to showbiz". Lawyers Weekly. 3 March 2012.
  2. Seven Network's Andrew O'Keefe | The Telegraph 22 November 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013
  3. Australian tour of Jesus Christ Superstar kicks off in Perth | WA Today 27 February 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013
  4. Andrew O'Keefe pulls out of Jesus Christ Superstar with serious neck injury | News Ltd 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013
  5. Knox, David (18 July 2015). "Media gets on board with AOK to host The Chase". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  6. Hornery, Andrew (8 December 2017). "Andrew O'Keefe quits Weekend Sunrise". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  7. Knox, David (8 December 2017). "Andrew O'Keefe quits Weekend Sunrise". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  8. "Seven parts company with Andrew O'Keefe". TV Tonight. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  9. Bucklow, Andrew (8 February 2021). "The Chase Australia: Larry Emdur tipped to replace Andrew O'Keefe". News.com.au — Australia's Leading News Site. news.com.au. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  10. It's an Honour
  11. Chris Beck talks to Andrew O'Keefe | The Age 12 January 2006. Retrieved 15 June 2013
  12. Ten questions: Andrew O'Keefe | The Australian 19 November 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013
  13. Changing Channels: Andrew O'Keefe on Allens to showbiz | Lawyers Weekly 11 August 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013
  14. Appointment of a new Chair of White Ribbon Australia | White Ribbon Foundation 15 May 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013
  15. Members of National Council to reduce violence against women and children announced | Australian Government 26 May 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2013 Archived 16 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  16. TATHAM, Harriet (28 January 2022). "Woman bit former TV presenter Andrew O'Keefe to break free of him, court hears". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  17. White Ribbon Foundation
  18. "White Ribbon Breakfast". AnglicareNT. November 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  19. "National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children" (PDF). Department of Social Services. Commonwealth of Australia. March 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2022. Time for Action: The National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, 2009-2021
  20. "Channel 7 personality Andrew O'Keefe facing domestic violence charge". Sydney Morning Herald. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  21. News.com.au website
  22. News.com.au website
  23. Mitchell, Georgina (25 June 2021). "Andrew O'Keefe domestic violence charges dismissed on mental health grounds". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  24. "Domestic violence charges against TV personality Andrew O'Keefe dismissed". ABC News. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  25. "Andrew O'Keefe's domestic violence charges dismissed". NewsComAu. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  26. NewsWire, 2021-4:12PMNCA (11 September 2021). "Ex TV star facing fresh DV claims". News.com.au — Australia's Leading News Site. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  27. "Australian TV host Andrew O'Keefe faces fresh domestic violence claims". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  28. Rawsthorne, Sally (26 January 2022). "Former TV host Andrew O'Keefe arrested over allegations he choked woman". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  29. Goodenough, C., 2022. Ex-TV presenter O'Keefe refused bail. [online] Northern Beaches Review. Available at: <https://www.northernbeachesreview.com.au/story/7650360/ex-tv-presenter-okeefe-refused-bail/> [Accessed 5 April 2022].
  30. "Andrew O'Keefe pleads guilty to drug possession". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  31. Young, R., 2022. Big development in Andrew O’Keefe case. [online] news. Available at: <https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/development-in-andrew-okeefe-sex-worker-choke-case/news-story/7c73a1481e8dcb37e9caf8780b6a94bd> [Accessed 5 April 2022].
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