EXCLUSIVEThe disturbing day Andrew O'Keefe went into meltdown live on air while hosting Sunrise - as his bizarre drink- and drug-fuelled antics shocked the nation
EXCLUSIVEWithin moments of Andrew OKeefe sliding onto the presenters couch for Weekend Sunrises biggest broadcast of the year, the shows producers knew they had a problem.
EXCLUSIVE
Within moments of Andrew OKeefe sliding onto the presenters couch for Weekend Sunrises biggest broadcast of the year, the shows producers knew they had a problem.
There was something not quite right about the long-standing host.
At first, they were concerned about the slightly odd way he was slouching and how he appeared somewhat dazed and confused.
Then he began to speak.
His words were slurred, his comments erratic and off-kilter - and then there were the strange outbursts of unprompted laughter.
It was Saturday, May 28, 2017 and the nations long-standing number one news breakfast program was covering the most highly anticipated event of the year.
Almost 12 years to the day since she was convicted of attempting to smuggle 4.2kg of cannabis into Bali, Schapelle Corby was returning to Australia.
Within moments of Andrew OKeefe sliding onto presenters couch alongside confused co-host Angela Cox, the shows producers knew they had a problem
The nations No1 breakfast news program had spent months planning every second of its wall-to-wall coverage as convicted Bali drug smuggler Schapelle Corby returned to Australia
The programs hard-working producers and crew had been plotting every moment of the networks wall-to-wall coverage for months.
Now it looked like their efforts were about to be overshadowed by the strange behaviour of the shows star presenter.
At one point during the broadcast, OKeefes co-host Angela Cox admitted his random babbling was confusing even her.
Later, he was caught blatantly checking his mobile phone during a live segment with a Weekend Sunrise reporter.
It wasnt long before the Seven switchboard started lighting up with calls from concerned viewers: Is AOK okay? Is he having a stroke? He looks "tired and emotional" Is he drunk on-air?
Daily Mail Australia was the first outlet to notice the strange sideshow playing out from Sevens landmark Martin Place studios in Sydney.
But within minutes of publishing a story about the stars unusual antics a little after 8am, Sevens army of spinners had swung into gear.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with OKeefe, they insisted.
He was simply overwhelmed by Corbys dramatic homecoming.
Behind the scenes, they knew better.
The high-profile stars life was in free fall as he self-medicated with drugs and alcohol.
Asked about OKeefes troubling 2017 appearance this week, Seven insiders struggled to pinpoint the occasion.
Not because it was so trivial but because it had become so disturbingly common that year.
Slurring his words on-air in 2017? Which time?! one senior source replied when queried by Daily Mail Australia.
Concerned viewers were worried about OKeefes unusual antics during the live broadcast
Sevens army of spin doctors maintained OKeefe was simply overwhelmed by Corbys dramatic homecoming and hosed down suggestions he was tired and emotional on air
While the network strived to save face publicly - and to protect OKeefe from suggestions he was unravelling amid lurid industry-wide gossip about his wild partying - privately, on-set tensions were escalating.
Colleagues were increasingly concerned about his welfare and questionable life choices. Sevens news bosses wanted him out.
By that December, OKeefe announced the inevitable.
After clocking up a recording-breaking 12-year run as Weekend Sunrise presenter, he was stepping down to spend more time with his real family - social worker wife Eleanor Campbell and their three children, Barnaby, Rory and Olivia.
What he didnt reveal was that the erratic behaviour that stymied his Sunrise career, had also destroyed his relationship with his now ex-wife Eleanor Campbell.
By that stage, she had already left him, along with their children.
Although, OKeefe would stay on with Seven as the host of its hit weeknight game show The Chase Australia for three more years, his breakfast news days were over - and the countdown had begun on his time at the network.
As he spiralled wildly out of control, and lurched from scandal to scandal, it seemed nothing could now halt the terminal decline of one of the countrys most talented stars.
This week, he remains behind bars after almost dying in his humble eastern Sydney flat from a heroin overdose.
OKeefe arrives at Rose Bay police station on Monday where he was charged with drug possession following a shocking heroin overdose at his eastern suburb flat at the weekend
Paramedics managed to revive the 52-year-old before rushing him to St Vincents Hospital in nearby Darlinghurst in the early hours of Saturday morning.
After being released, he was arrested and charged with drug possession and breach of bail.
The troubled entertainer was not present in court when his matter was heard on Tuesday and his lawyer did not apply for bail, meaning OKeefe would be remanded in custody.
Magistrate Jacqueline Milledges message was blunt: Hes lucky to be alive...if he wants to stay alive (staying in jail) is the best thing to do.
God help him, and its a shame he doesnt have an epiphany.
OKeefe has plenty of time to consider his tragic trajectory over the next three weeks before returning to court once more on October 10.
