Ex-TV star Andrew O’Keefe ‘lucky to be alive’ after overdose

Troubled former TV personality Andrew O’Keefe appeared in court on Tuesday just days after being hospitalised following a heroin overdose.

Andrew O’Keefe is “lucky to be alive” and has been told that jail might be the best place for him “if he wants to stay alive” as the embattled former TV star received a stern rebuke from a magistrate.

The troubled former TV personality was back before the courts on Tuesday after being charged with drug possession and breaching his bail conditions, two days after being hospitalised following a heroin overdose.

“I shake my head,” magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said as O’Keefe’s matter was called inside Waverley Local Court.

The former Deal or No Deal host was treated by police and paramedics and hospitalised after overdosing at his Vaucluse unit early on Saturday morning.

Emergency services raced to the Old South Head Rd home about 3.40am responding to a concerns-for-welfare call.

The 52-year-old was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital where he was treated and later released.

“So he’s lucky to be alive,” Ms Milledge said as she read the court papers on Tuesday morning.

Police launched an investigation and O’Keefe was on Monday afternoon arrested at Rose Bay Police Station.

Police have further alleged that during the search of a nearby vehicle they discovered prohibited drugs, which have been sent away for further analysis.

According to court documents, O’Keefe is alleged to have been in possession of crystal methamphetamine.

Andrew O’Keefe was arrested after overdosing on the weekend. Picture: NewsWire/Max Mason-Hubers.

He was charged with breach of bail and possessing a prohibited drug before being refused bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

O’Keefe was not present in court and his solicitor did not make an application for bail on Tuesday, meaning he would remain in custody on remand.

“If he wants to stay alive that’s the best thing to do,” Ms Milledge said.

The court was told he may make a bail application, to be released into a rehabilitation facility, when he returns to court on October 10.

But Ms Milledge noted “he’s done all that” and described his case as “absolutely tragic” and “absolutely sad”.

“He walks in that door, he’s a frequent flyer, he’s just so used to it,” Ms Milledge said, noting he had been before the courts on multiple occasions, made applications to deal with charges on mental health grounds and been released into rehabilitation.

She said they had “all been tried and tested and failed”.

“God help him, and it’s a shame he doesn’t have an epiphany,” Ms Milledge said.

He is alleged to have breached his bail after he was charged relating to allegations he threatened a man at a Point Piper address shortly before he was stopped while driving and found in possession of a crack pipe.

In August, he pleaded not guilty at Waverley Local Court to charges of intimidation, entering enclosed lands without permission and breaching an AVO.

Those matters will be heard alongside the fresh bail and drug charges on October 10

He appeared before Waverley Local Court on Tuesday. Picture: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

The overdose happened just six days after O’Keefe successfully overturned a drug conviction, but failed to overturn domestic violence convictions, at the Sydney Downing Centre District Court last week.

The former Channel 7 star and one-time domestic violence prevention ambassador was found guilty and sentenced to a 12-month and three 18-month community corrections orders in January after the magistrate ruled he had inflicted a “frightening and degrading” attack on a woman.

Last Monday, Judge John Pickering dismissed his appeal, after he had argued the victim had been untruthful.

The former host of The Chase also successfully appealed his conviction for possessing an illegal drug mephedrone, known as “meow meow”.

Judge Pickering found there was reasonable doubt about whether O’Keefe had any knowledge of the drug being stored inside his apartment.

He upheld the appeal and quashed the drug conviction.