Troubled TV star Andrew O’Keefe fronts court after allegedly testing positive to driving on meth
Former television personality Andrew O’Keefe has fronted a Sydney court for allegedly testing positive for methamphetamine after a roadside breath test.
Mr O’Keefe, 51, was stopped in his car by NSW Police at Wunulla Road in Point Piper in Sydney’s ritzy eastern suburbs on January 20 this year.
He underwent a random roadside breath test before he was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was given a secondary oral fluid test and his driver’s licence was suspended.
Police will allege in court the secondary test came back positive for methamphetamine.
Andrew O’Keefe, 51, was stopped in his car by NSW Police at Point Piper on January 20 earlier this year.
Over a 17-year career with Seven, O’Keefe hosted Weekend Sunrise and game shows The Chase Australia and Deal or No Deal
He was arrested at his Vaucluse home about 10.50am on Tuesday and was charged with driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in blood and breaching his bail conditions.
He was held in custody by police until he appeared before Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.
The former Deal or No Deal host was granted bail on the condition he undergo drug and alcohol testing, not take alcohol or non-prescription drugs and that he undergo treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist.
He will next appear before Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on May 2.
In February this year unrelated charges relating to allegations that Mr O’Keefe had choked a woman without her consent were dropped.
He is also due to face court in November where he will contest a string of unrelated charges including two counts of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of contravening an AVO.
For 17 years, O’Keefe appeared as the face of many programs on Channel 7, including Weekend Sunrise and Deal or No Deal.
He served on the National Council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and chaired the National Leadership Group of the well-known White Ribbon Australia organisation dedicated to the cause in 2005.
He has not played any part in White Ribbon Australia since it was bought out of liquidation in 2020.
In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his charity work and accomplishments in television.