Andrew O'Keefe
Encyclopedia
Andrew Patrick O'Keefe (born 1 October 1971) is an Australian entertainer, best known for being the host of the hit game-show Deal or No Deal
. He is also the co-host of Weekend Sunrise
.
He formerly worked as an intellectual property lawyer with Australian law firm Allens Arthur Robinson, and for a short time with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Sydney. He is the son of former Supreme Court of New South Wales
judge Barry O'Keefe, nephew of the late Australian rock and roll
musician Johnny O'Keefe
and brother of University of Cambridge international lawyer Roger O'Keefe.
's AFI-nominated sketch show Big Bite
(the same show on which Summer Heights Highs Chris Lilley got his TV break). Late the same year he began hosting Deal or no Deal
, the first version of the show outside its home country The Netherlands. It has been on screen continuously since 2003, has run to over 1,500 episodes to December 2010, and has since been produced in over 75 countries around the world.
In 2004, O'Keefe co-hosted the historic tri-network tsunami appeal Reach Out with fellow presenters Eddie McGuire
and Rove McManus
, which raised over $20 million for tsunami relief efforts around Asia. The event was such a success that the three teamed up the following year to host, The TV Week Logies.
From 2007 until 2009, O'Keefe hosted the quiz show The Rich List
, and in 2006 took the helm of Weekend Sunrise
, which he currently hosts every Saturday and Sunday morning with journalist Samantha Armytage
.
In 2010 Andrew appeared in the Christmas special episode of Review with Myles Barlow.
As a result of his work with the Foundation, O'Keefe was appointed to the inaugural National Council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, which drafted the report Time for Action: Australia's National Plan for Reducing Violence Against Women and their Children on behalf of the federal government.
O'Keefe is also a supporter of several other charity organisations including the Garvan Institute for gene research, Kids of Kokoda, the Bell Shakespeare Company and The Wilderness Society.
, where he was heavily involved in Theatresports and faculty revues. He played Theatresports most Sunday nights at the Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney, winning a Cranston Cup series with two-man team Dirty Harry's Bathwater.
In 2001 he was a member of the Australian Theatresports team that won the Just for Laughs
Improv Tournament at the Montreal Comedy Festival. He has an A.Mus in classical singing (baritone), was the frontman for several Sydney bands in the '90s, and plays trumpet and piano.
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
. He is also the co-host of Weekend Sunrise
Weekend Sunrise
Weekend Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On Saturdays, it runs from 7am to 9am whilst on Sundays it runs from 7am to 10am.-History:...
.
He formerly worked as an intellectual property lawyer with Australian law firm Allens Arthur Robinson, and for a short time with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Sydney. He is the son of former Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
judge Barry O'Keefe, nephew of the late Australian rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
musician Johnny O'Keefe
Johnny O'Keefe
John Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include "Wild One" , "Shout!" and "She's My Baby"...
and brother of University of Cambridge international lawyer Roger O'Keefe.
Television career
O'Keefe first started his television career in 2003, starring in Channel SevenSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
's AFI-nominated sketch show Big Bite
Big Bite
Big Bite was an Australian sketch comedy television series, which ran on the Seven Network from 8 May, 2003 to 4 March, 2004 in a prime time timeslot on Thursdays...
(the same show on which Summer Heights Highs Chris Lilley got his TV break). Late the same year he began hosting Deal or no Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
, the first version of the show outside its home country The Netherlands. It has been on screen continuously since 2003, has run to over 1,500 episodes to December 2010, and has since been produced in over 75 countries around the world.
In 2004, O'Keefe co-hosted the historic tri-network tsunami appeal Reach Out with fellow presenters Eddie McGuire
Eddie McGuire
Edward Joseph "Eddie" McGuire AM is an Australian television presenter and businessman known for his long association with Australian rules football and the Channel 9 television network....
and Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, which raised over $20 million for tsunami relief efforts around Asia. The event was such a success that the three teamed up the following year to host, The TV Week Logies.
From 2007 until 2009, O'Keefe hosted the quiz show The Rich List
The Rich List
The Rich List is a game show which has the following versions:*The Rich List , formerly aired on Channel Seven and hosted by Andrew O'Keefe*Rich List , currently airs on Sat.1 and is hosted by Kai Pflaume...
, and in 2006 took the helm of Weekend Sunrise
Weekend Sunrise
Weekend Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On Saturdays, it runs from 7am to 9am whilst on Sundays it runs from 7am to 10am.-History:...
, which he currently hosts every Saturday and Sunday morning with journalist Samantha Armytage
Samantha Armytage
Samantha Armytage is an Australian journalist and television news presenter.Armytage is currently presenter of Seven 4.30 News , and co-host of Weekend Sunrise and she is also a regular fill-in presenter for various Seven Network programs.-Early life:Armytage grew up on a historic property, called...
.
In 2010 Andrew appeared in the Christmas special episode of Review with Myles Barlow.
Other Interests
O'Keefe is the chairman of the White Ribbon Foundation in Australia, an organisation dedicated to the prevention of violence against women. He was one of the founding members of the campaign in Australia and has been an ambassador since 2004. The campaign is active in schools, workplaces, sports clubs, councils and other community organisations, and seeks to rally men and boys as leaders in the fight against violence.As a result of his work with the Foundation, O'Keefe was appointed to the inaugural National Council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, which drafted the report Time for Action: Australia's National Plan for Reducing Violence Against Women and their Children on behalf of the federal government.
O'Keefe is also a supporter of several other charity organisations including the Garvan Institute for gene research, Kids of Kokoda, the Bell Shakespeare Company and The Wilderness Society.
Personal life
O'Keefe studied arts and law at the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, where he was heavily involved in Theatresports and faculty revues. He played Theatresports most Sunday nights at the Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney, winning a Cranston Cup series with two-man team Dirty Harry's Bathwater.
In 2001 he was a member of the Australian Theatresports team that won the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
Improv Tournament at the Montreal Comedy Festival. He has an A.Mus in classical singing (baritone), was the frontman for several Sydney bands in the '90s, and plays trumpet and piano.
See also
- Deal or No DealDeal or No Deal (Australian game show)Deal or No Deal is an Australian game show airing on the Seven Network and in New Zealand on Prime . It was the first international version of the game show, after the original Dutch version. It was the first of the versions to use the Deal or No Deal name...
- Weekend SunriseSunrise (TV program)Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
- Cornelia FrancesCornelia FrancesCornelia Frances is a British-born actress based in Australia since the early 1970s. Frances is best known for her recurring role as judge Morag Bellingham on Home and Away.-Early life and personal life:...