Larry Emdur takes over from Andrew O’Keefe as host of The Chase

The Morning Show co-host Larry Emdur will return to his prime-time game show roots, taking over as host of The Chase Australia from Andrew O’Keefe.

Larry Emdur has landed the coveted job as host of the Seven Network’s top-rating afternoon game show, The Chase.

Emdur will “pull on the shiny shoes and jazz hands” when he replaces embattled outgoing frontman Andrew O’Keefe later this month, with the first episodes featuring Emdur set to air after Easter.

Larry Emdur, pictured with wife Sylvie for Body+Soul, is the new host of The Chase. Picture: Damian Bennett

The announcement comes three weeks after Seven dropped O’Keefe following his arrest on an alleged domestic assault charge.

Emdur, who will hold onto his “dream job” as co-host of Seven’s The Morning Show alongside Kylie Gillies, said he was excited by his return to the game show genre and the competitive early evening timeslot.

“I’ve had a love affair with quiz shows for most of my working life, and the opportunity to host one of the TV world’s greatest formats is incredibly exciting,” Emdur told The Sunday Telegraph in an exclusive announcement.

Andrew O’Keefe on an old episode of The Chase Australia.

“The Chase is one of the most important shows on the network. Having spent a lot of time in this premium space — going into the news — I know that it’s a really great time of the day, just before dinner, when the family gets together.”

Emdur admitted the past few weeks had been “tumultuous” at Seven, given the circumstances of O’Keefe’s shock departure.

“It’s a tumultuous time but shows move on and productions move on and over the years many hosts have been replaced with many other hosts,” Emdur said.

“It’s happened very quickly. There’s no doubt about it, there’s lots of focus on it, but in keeping with what the network wants me to do, I have to aim for the blue sky and look forward.”

Emdur celebrating his 1500th episode of The Price is Right.

Seven and production company ITV Studios Australia, producer of The Chase, made their first approach to Emdur three weeks ago, the presenter said.

Following an audition, Emdur won the part ahead of a field of high-profile contenders believed to have included Rove McManus, former radio funnyman Merrick Watts and Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac.

Emdur, 56, is an old hand at hosting game shows after cutting his teeth — at age 30 — hosting high-energy game show The Price Is Right in the 1990s before going on to host two more series of the show, as well as Wheel Of Fortune and Cash Bonanza.

At 56, he thinks he’s mellowed with age and is a good fit for The Chase, though had you asked him a month ago he might have said he had put the game show genre behind him.

“The production is in Sydney now (having moved from Melbourne), so it’s manageable and it’s an exciting new challenge in my career when I was probably thinking more about winding down,” he said.

Seven’s program director Angus Ross said that Emdur was the ideal host for the program.

“Everyone at Seven is delighted that Larry has agreed to take on this new role,” Ross said.

“Australians love Larry. Australians love the show. Together they are the perfect combination.”