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No Deal hints Andrew O’Keefe

Deal or No Deal is "showing signs that it needs rejuvenation" says Andrew O'Keefe, hinting that it may be time to open a new brief case.

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The future of Deal or No Deal is looking tenuous after host Andrew O’Keefe gave an interview in which he hints at giving the show away.

“I got into TV because I wanted a creative career. I feel that I’ve taken that creativity as far as it can go within the current formats (game show/current affairs show) that I work in,” he told News Limited.

“I can’t do any more than I am doing (on Seven) for fear of cannibalising one or other of the projects (Deal or Weekend Sunrise) through over-exposure.

“I’m getting to the point where a certain restlessness is setting in, (but) in order to do anything new, I’m going to have to make room by letting something go.”

Deal was always impenetrable by rival Nine with failed attempts to defeat it, including Wheel of Fortune.

But Hot Seat changed the game, now regularly beating the Seven show in the prime 5:30pm slot.

“It is fair to say that Deal, for the first time in its eight-year history, is facing its stiffest competition ever, and showing signs that it needs rejuvenation,” O’Keefe says.

“I am tilling, I think, the same soil nowadays to try to produce prize-winning fruit, which is hard work. It is tiring and taxing and lonely.”

Seven confirmed Deal would return during its September Upfronts, but O’Keefe is signalling that he may not be keen to remain as host.

O’Keefe’s presenting skills can be divisive, but they are diverse, easily switching from game shows to morning television and variety in between.

He even trialled his own late night / comedy format This is Your Laugh on 7HD. Few recall that his earliest TV jobs were in sketch comedy with Hamish and Andy and Chris Lilley.

Recently he was part of the Weekend Sunrise relaunch but today he says the format has its limits.

“Because of that production control, what you present is not necessarily an accurate picture of what you think and who you are,” he says.

27 Responses

  2. I think Andrew is a very smart, very funny man, but I can see what he’s saying. It’s a shame his role on Sunrise doesn’t allow him much room to editorialise.
    That said, the mere memory of This Is Your Laugh made me cringe (he’s actually lucky it didn’t air on the main channel and few people saw it), so let’s hope he doesn’t get too “clever” in his quest to expand his horizons.

  3. Looks like he has made the money so now he dumps on the shows. Either that or maybe its contract time. He will not be hard to replace. He is annoying on Deal and way out of place on weekend Sunrise.

  4. Yes, the show could do with a change of host. He’s more tolerable on Deal Or No Deal than he is on Weekend Sunrise, but I grow so tired of his passive aggressive “look at me” posturing that both shows can be a chore to sit through. If a contestant dares to be witty or funny, or threatens to upstage him, he can be shockingly rude to them. And he doesn’t seem to realise that Weekend Sunrise is not a forum for his opinion. If that’s what he’s after, he should write a column. But his ego’s too big for that.

    @ Vanessa “I can’t stand his antics and his psychopathic laugh”. Couldn’t have put it better! He always sounds like the villian in some cheesy thriller right before he tears the top off some nubile victim.

  5. It’s probably the game itself – people can roll dice at home.
    Maybe he just needs the right gameshow vehicle, wherever that is.

    Just got to break it to Walter P Smythe…

  7. He Needs to go.Do excuse my age but this AOK is enough to send anyone over to FOX 8 animation hour if you have Pay TV in your home or the ABC Kids offerings.I don’t watch either game show because of Him and Eddie.In an Ideal World They could put on some How I met your Mother or that 70’s show possibly Family Guy and spare us from this game show crap and Andrew but I personally blame classification laws for them not allowing that.

  10. I think he’s really talented and clever. I remember him on ‘Big Bite’ with Chris Lilley and he was clearly the other standout (in a crowded field of talented performers).

    He should turn his hand to acting, writing or both. Or a proper ‘Parkinson’ style talkshow that would show off his skills fully.

  12. I think Deal or No Deal has had it’s day, but I commend Andrew for lifting up an otherwise boring concept. He is great on Weekend Sunrise,very witty and likeable imo

  13. I watched this when it first started but quickly grew tired of it. Don’t know why it ever rated so well cos it’s not exactly something people at home can play along with. Bring back Wheel of Fortune. I used to love that.

  14. I watch Deal or No Deal with the sound down cos I can’t stand his antics and psychopathic laugh.

    We don’t need another Eddie McGuire. It’s bad enough he’s on Weekend Sunrise too.

  15. AOK is a great talent, but anyone would go stir crazy having to think of new ways to make Deal interesting… Seen one episode, seen them all.

    7 should bring back The Ht List, Andrew was great on that show and it’s much more enjoyable than Deal.

  18. I remember when AOK first started on 7 most people myself included thought he was a great talent and should be utilised a lot more. Then it was only within 2 years that everyone seemed to go off him. Either his style had a short shelf life or he lost his touch. Either way I think 7 would be better off if they let him go.

  23. I don’t watch either show but from what little I do know about them is that Deal seems to be a winning by chance game show. Whereas Hot Seat is a more ‘knowledge’ based game.

    If I had a gun to my head and had to watch either… I’d choose Hot Seat. That way I might actually learn something despite the insufferable Eddie..

  24. Refuse to watch Weekend Sunrise because of Andrew. Was a regular watcher of Deal or no deal. Switched off about 2 years ago. Dont like Hot Seat either too much Eddie. Was watching The Drum regularly but the constantly changing hosts spoil that too! Why oh why arent there decent male hosts on Australian TV?

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