Andrew O’Keefe: Inside former TV host’s life, career and controversies

Here’s a look at the rise and fall of Andrew O’Keefe, who went from popular TV host to a troubled former star publicly dealing with personal demons.

Former TV host Andrew O’Keefe’s personal life was thrust into the public arena after the troubled star’s career and personal life imploded in the past couple of years.

When the 50-year-old was sent to rehab for the 10th time, details of his drug and alcohol demons were made public in court, covering his mental health issues as well as ice and cocaine addiction.

On May 24, The Chase and Deal Or No Deal ex-host was released on bail on the condition he check into a rehabilitation facility at Swan Bay, near Port Stephens. He drove to the Connect Global centre with his brother and was expected to stay there for at least six months.

Here is an overview of his personal and career history.

Controversies

September 2009: O’Keefe was caught on video during a boozy night out in Melbourne, where he was captured lying flat on his back on the street and then seen crawling along the footpath with a blonde female friend.

Former Channel 7 host Andrew O'Keefe has gone into rehab for the 10th time. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

October 2019: O’Keefe enters rehab facility following an emotional and mental collapse. He told The Sunday Telegraph at the time: “I was already entirely exhausted to a point where the issues of my marriage dissolution were becoming more grinding, day by day. I wasn’t in good health, I’d also suffered (the) loss of friends and family at the same time.”

March 2020: O’Keefe returned to rehab following another health crisis after taking three months off from filming The Chase Australia in 2019.

February 2021: Sunday Telegraph columnist Annette Sharp revealed O’Keefe has been battling sex addiction for decades.

January-May 2022: O’Keefe was arrested and faced six charges after police alleged he grabbed a former sex worker by the throat, punched her and pushed her to the ground.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including intentionally choking a person without consent, three counts of common assault and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charges were withdrawn before a hearing at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court in February, 2023. 

After being on remand at Silverwater jail since January, O’Keefe was granted bail in May to attend rehab.

Justice Robert Hulme agreed the former TV host needed treatment for “his longstanding drug problems and mental health ­issues that appear to be, to a significant extent, trauma related”. O’Keefe pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing a prohibited drug.

November 24, 2022: O’Keefe was arrested and charged with breaching bail after allegedly failing a drug test.

April 2023: O'Keefe was charged after allegedly driving in Point Piper with meth in his system on January 20.  He pleaded not guilty to the charge in May.

August 2023: O'Keefe was arrested and charged  with one count of contravening a domestic violence order and appeared in the Parramatta Bail Court. After an application for bail was refused, O'Keefe, speaking over a video link from Surry Hills Police Station, replied "Thank you, Your Honour, for nothing".

Personal life

O’Keefe is son to former Supreme Court judge Barry O’Keefe, who was also the Mayor of Mosman for 10 years, and his mum Jan. His father died in 2014.

He followed in his dad’s footsteps by becoming a lawyer, before switching to a TV career.

He has four siblings and is the nephew of Aussie rock’n’roll legend Johnny O’Keefe.

He was married to Eleanor O’Keefe, nee Campbell, and had three children with her — Barney, Rory and Olive. But after 18 years of marriage, the couple separated in 2017 and the divorce was finalised in 2019.

O’Keefe with this now ex-wife Eleanor, pictured in 2009.

At the time he said on Sunrise: “Everyone hits a part of their life where they really question what it’s all about and who they really are, whether what they have done for the last four or five years means anything.

“And I think, when I split up from my wife, that was my time. And the thing I always believed in most of all in this life was the power of love and combining with someone to make something special, and when I lost that, I thought well, it was all meaningless.”

Early life

O’Keefe was brought up in Sydney’s north shore, with his family home in Mosman during his younger years where he attended Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview in Lane Cove.

He told the North Shore Times in 2018 he has fond memories of his school days, saying he was “pretty much a straight-A student”.

He later studied law at the University of Sydney and worked as an intellectual property lawyer before shifting careers.

O’Keefe is also a classically trained singer.

Andrew O'Keefe when he hosted Deal Or No Deal.

Network Seven did not renew O’Keefe’s contract as host of The Chase. Picture: Ian Currie

Career

While he started off his professional career as a lawyer, O’Keefe’s life changed when he moved into public eye by working as a TV host.

In 2003, he joined the Seven Network on the sketch comedy series Big Bite but then landed one of his most iconic jobs as host of the game show Deal Or No Deal from 2003 to 2013.

Throughout his career at Seven, he worked as a host for Weekend Sunrise from 2006 to 2017, and was working as the host of The Chase Australia when his career imploded.

After 17 years with the network and after several public controversies, he was dumped and his contract was not renewed in 2021.

He was awarded an Order of Australia for his work on television and in the charity space, including as a former ambassador for anti-domestic violence organisation White Ribbon but he no longer has that role.

Originally published as Andrew O’Keefe: Inside former TV host’s life, career and controversies