Andrew O’Keefe Really Is The New Bert Newton!

For yonks we’ve been holding on to our personal view that Deal Or No Deal host and telethon co-anchor-for-hire Andrew O’Keefe should be being groomed as the new Bert Newton.

Well, it seems our dream may not be that far-fetched, with news that O’Keefe is being tentatively given the a-okay (we know, HILARIOUS!!) for his own late-night (but not late-night) chat show on Seven, after they’d initially turned him away.

Not content with his workload this year, which consisted of hosting Deal Or No Deal, The Rich List, Weekend Sunrise and a cameo on Kath and Kim, O’Keefe has been rewarded for his persistence, after the trial episodes of the Jay Leno-style show was initially knocked back by Seven executives in September.

The former lawyer’s own production company is understood to be reworking the concept, which had the working title of AOK, now likely to be renamed The Late Andrew O’Keefe.

Seven sources told Confidential yesterday that the network’s new HD channel, where the program will appear, had allowed for the extra “air time” to give the show a second shot at the greenlight.

“The show will definately happen, but when it will air hasn’t been decided yet,” a spokeswoman said.

“The Late Andrew O’Keefe”! The man is clearly a genius!

Also, in light of Channel Ten heading down the gurgler faster than a lead turd and Channel Nine dithering, as usual (and we all know the ABC and SBS don’t really count in these sorts of discussions, bless), could this mean that 2008 is the year of Seven?

And just who is Milco??