The Chase Australia host, Andrew O’Keefe, has been charged by police over an alleged domestic assault on his partner in Sydney’s east.

Official documents reveal that O’Keefe, 49 – a face famaliar to Kiwis as the former host of Deal or No Deal – is due to face Waverley Local Court on Thursday after being arrested early on Sunday morning.

The TV host has been charged with assaulting his rumoured-to-be partner, Sydney-based doctor Orly Lavee, at an apartment in Randwick just before 1am.

NSW Police revealed the details of the arrest – albeit without naming the parties involved – in a statement on Sunday: “Just before 1am, officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command attended a Randwick unit, after reports a 41-year-old woman had allegedly been assaulted in a domestic violence related incident.

“Following inquiries, police arrested a 49-year-old man nearby about 3.30am.

“He was taken to Maroubra police station where he was charged with common assault (DV) and granted conditional bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on Thursday 4 February 2021.”

According to news.com.au, O’Keefe was the man arrested and in addition to the common assault charge, an interim apprehended violence order has also been granted on behalf ofLavee, 41, which will be heard in court on Thursday alongside the assault charge.

Under the terms of the court order made on Sunday, O’Keefe is prohibited from contacting, threatening, assaulting or intimidating his partner and cannot go to her house.

In heavy contrast to the charges laid before him, O’Keefe is well known for his charity work in the field of domestic violence support and was one of the founding members of domestic violence charity the White Ribbon Foundation.

The former Deal or No Deal star split from his wife, Eleanor, with whom he shares three children, in 2017.

In September of last year happy snaps of O’Keefe and Lavee, seen wearing what looked like wedding bands, sparked rumours that the pair had secretly married.

O’Keefe and Seven West Media have been contacted for comment, but are yet to make a statement.

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