Troubled former star Andrew O’Keefe allegedly found with drugs days after heroin overdose

Two days after he almost died from a drug overdose, Andrew O’Keefe has been charged with drug possession and breaching his bail.

Fallen TV star Andrew O’Keefe has been charged with drug possession and breaching his bail conditions just two days after nearly dying from a heroin overdose in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

The 52-year-old was taken into custody when he reported to Rose Bay police station about 2.25pm on Monday afternoon.

Police allegedly found drugs inside O’Keefe’s car during a search of the vehicle soon after he was arrested.

He was refused bail and will appear at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

Emergency services were called to an address in Old South Head Road in Vaucluse at 3.30am on Saturday where it’s believed he had to be revived by paramedics, and then taken to St Vincent’s Hospital.

He was admitted for a short time before being released.

Andrew O'Keefe pictured leaving his residence, left, after news of a drug overdose breaks in Sydney. O'Keefe is later pictured, right, at Rose Bay Police Station being escorted to a vehicle by three officers. His belt, spectacles and shoes had been removed. Pictures: Matrix

“Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were called to a home unit on Old South Head Road at Vaucluse about 3.40am, responding to concerns for the welfare of a 52-year-old man,’’ police said in a statement on Monday.

“NSW Ambulance paramedics rendered assistance to the man before taking him to St Vincent’s Hospital where he was reported to be in a stable condition.

Andrew O’Keefe leaves Waverley Court House. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

“Inquiries into the incident are continuing.”

The former Channel 7 star of The Chase was at a friend’s unit at the time when police received a call about a concern for welfare.

In late July, O’Keefe was bailed after spending a night in a police cell after he was allegedly caught driving under the influence of drugs.

The one-time Deal or No Deal host faced Waverley Local Court on July 29 after he was stopped by officers from Eastern Beaches police area command the night before in Bellevue Hill. He was granted strict bail.

The troubled star awaits judgment in a high-profile bid to overturn convictions for domestic violence and drug-related charges a number of charges. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

O’Keefe told a police officer who allegedly found a crack pipe in his jacket pocket the garment “was worn by someone else”, a court was told.

O’Keefe appeared at the Downing Centre Local Court last week where he lost his appeal after being found guilty of charges of assault and domestic violence but had a conviction for drug possession overturned.

In January this year, O’Keefe was sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order by Downing Centre Magistrate Alison Viney who said he carried out a “frightening and degrading” attack on a woman known to him in 2021.

O’Keefe admitted to spitting in the woman’s eye during another incident in January.

“His tendency was to spit, to commit a low demeaning act towards her,” Judge John Pickering said while dismissing his appeal in the District Court.

He was found guilty of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and contravening an apprehended violence order.

As O’Keefe appeared in court on August 22 this year, it was indicated he would fight the intimidation allegation on mental health grounds.

Part of O’Keefe’s sentencing conditions is he is not to commit any offence while on the corrections order which expires in March 2026.

He was also ordered to undertake drug rehabilitation.

It will be up to NSW Corrective Services to investigate and assess if a breach of the orders has been made which could see him brought back before the courts and possibly jailed.

O’Keefe was also sentenced to a 12-month conditional release order in August after he pleaded guilty to driving while suspended in June, when he was stopped by police while behind the wheel in Bellevue Hill.

A month later, he was stopped again in Bellevue Hill and returned a positive drug test. He told police who allegedly found a crack pipe in his jacket that the garment “was worn by someone else”.

After rising to TV prominence in 2003 as host of Channel 7’s Deal or No Deal, his life began to unravel in 2017 after being let go by the network and has been in and out of rehabilitation programs since.