Matt Okine

Matt Okine
Okine (right) with co-host Alex Dyson at Tropfest Australia 2013
Born
Matthew Okine

(1985-04-12) 12 April 1985 (age 41)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
EducationQueensland University of Technology
PartnerBelinda Rabe
Children1
Comedy career
MediumStand-up, radio, television

Matthew Okine (born 12 April 1985) is a stand-up comedian, author and radio presenter from Brisbane, Australia. He was a co-host on the Triple J breakfast show with Alex Dyson from 2014 to 2016.

Early life

Okine was born to Mack Okine and Roslyn. His father is an immigrant from Ghana. He has an older sister. His parents separated when he was 7. His mother died of breast cancer when he was 12.

Okine attended Ironside State School and Brisbane State High School and played many sports growing up. He was considered a promising Australian rules football prospect, and was invited to take part in the AFL's NAB Rising Stars national development program. He stopped playing football after being advised to do so upon entry into drama school at Queensland University of Technology. He graduated with a bachelor in acting. He supports his hometown Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.

Career

Okine performed stand-up on Rove, at the Sydney Comedy Festival and Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He appeared on TV shows This is Littleton, Legally Brown, Would I Lie to You? and Hughesy, We Have a Problem and was a guest contributor on Dirty Laundry Live, Can of Worms and The Agony of Modern Manners. In 2012, he released a DVD titled Being Black n Chicken n Shit. He also appeared as Laurie in H2O: Just Add Water and Aquamarine as an unknown character.

In 2014, Okine replaced Tom Ballard as co-host on the breakfast show on Triple J after Ballard resigned to pursue stand-up comedy. In 2016, Okine and Alex Dyson both left Triple J to pursue other interests.

He co-hosted How Not to Behave, which ran for four months on ABC in 2015.

At the 2015 ARIA Awards, he won Best Comedy Release for Live at the Enmore Theatre.

In 2017, Okine wrote and starred in The Other Guy on Stan. A second season was released in 2019.

In 2019, he published his first novel, Being Black 'N Chicken, & Chips.

In November 2022, it was revealed that Okine would star as Arthur Beare in a 2023 "reimagining" of classic sitcom Mother and Son which originally aired on ABC TV from 1984 to 1994. Okine is also the creator, writer and executive producer of the new series. The concept to adapt the sitcom as a single-camera production from what was originally a multi-camera setup filmed in front of a live studio audience was first proposed by Okine in 2013. Creator of the original series Geoffrey Atherden would collaborate with Okine on the 2023 version. On 15 August 2024, Mother and Son was renewed for a second season. He appeared as Devon in the 2023 TV series The Clearing.

Okine is one half of the children's music duo Diver City, with Kristy Lee Peters.

Personal life

Okine and his partner Belinda Rabe have a daughter.

Filmography

Acting

Television appearances
Year Title Role Notes Ref
2026 Class Clowns Self 6 episodes
2026 Gnomes TBA TV series
2023–present Mother and Son Arthur 8 episodes
2023 The Clearing Devon 1 episode
2022 Fisk Theo 1 episode
2021 Nine Perfect Strangers 1 episode
Slider Lewis 1 episode
2020–23 Play School Self 3 episodes
2020 Stateless Phil 2 episodes
2017–19 The Other Guy AJ Amon 12 episodes
2019 Greta Stanley: Pour Teddy Music video
2018 Orange Is the New Brown Various 6 episodes
Doctor Doctor Dr Lucas Fine 1 episode
Aunty Donna: The Album Boilermakers 1 episode
2017 Jay of our Lives Matt 1 episode
2016–17 Wham Bam Thank You Mam! Officer Michaels 6 episodes
2015 Ready for This Matt 1 episode
Fresh Blood Pilot Season Officer Michaels 1 episode
2014 It's a Date George 1 episode
This is Littleton Various 4 episodes
2013 Neighbours Nathan White 1 episode
2012 People You May Know Otto TV series
2011 Purged Jesus TV movie
Sea Patrol Mr Tagobe 1 episode
2010 I Rock Greg Forbes 1 episode
2010 The Future Machine Matt 8 episodes
2007–10 H2O: Just Add Water Laurie 5 episodes
2009 All Saints Brendan 1 episode
2006 Monarch Cove Carlos 1 episode
Film appearances
Year Title Role Notes Ref
2022 Christmas Ransom Derrick
2019 Martha the Monster Comedy Host Short
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold Teacher
2012 Magic Dogs Mr Grange Short
2011 Up the Aisle The Baker
Bird Therapy Matty the Blackbird Short
2010 Cabbie Confessions Cabbie Short
2006 Sweet FA Matty
2006 See No Evil Officer 3
2006 Aquamarine Nick

Production credits

Year Title Role Notes
2023– Mother and Son Creator / Writer 8 episodes
2017–19 The Other Guy 12 episodes
2018 Squinters Additional material 6 episodes
2015 Matt Okine Live at Enmore Theatre Written by TV special
2014 This is Littleton Writer 4 episodes
2012 Matt Okine: Being Black N Chicken N Shit Written by TV special
2011 Bird Therapy Writer Short
2010 Not Available Creator TV movie
2010 The Future Machine Writer 8 episodes

Self appearances

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2026 Class Clowns Self 6 episodes
2026 Shaun Micallef's Origin Odyssey Self 1 episode
2025 Claire Hooper's House Of Games Self 5 episodes
2024 Drag Race Down Under Self / Guest Judge 1 episode
2023 The Project Self 1 episode
2023 Matt Okine is Going to Die Self Catalyst feature: 1 episode
2022 The Cook Up with Adam Liaw Self 2 episodes
2015 How Not To Behave Self / Host 15 episodes

Discography

List of albums
Title Album details
Play It Out (with Alex Dyson)
  • Released: 2016
  • Label: ABC
  • Formats: CD, download

Awards and nominations

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2015 Live at the Enmore Theatre Best Comedy Release Won
2016 Play It Out (with Alex Dyson) Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 Tan, Monica (19 August 2014). "Matt Okine on being the only half-Ghanaian Australian comedian in the room". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 Dyson, Alex (7 May 2015). "Remembering our mums for Mother's Day". Triple J blog. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Kanowski, Sarah (28 February 2020). "Matt Okine on growing up when everything is falling apart". Conversations. ABC. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  4. ↑ Gunasekara, Dinushka (20 February 2020). "Matt Okine Talks Comedy And Life In Brisbane". Style. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "State High Foundation Online Community". State High Foundation Online Community. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  6. ↑ Bache, Byron (2 April 2014). "Matt Okine in Happiness Not Included ★★★½". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  7. ↑ Mitchell, Georgina (8 August 2014). "Honesty is the best belly medicine". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Styles, Aja (3 December 2013). "Matt Okine replaces Tom Ballard on Triple J breakfast". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Knox, David (4 June 2015). "Gretel Killeen, Matt Okine to host new ABC series, How Not to Behave". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Tame Impala and Courtney Barnett win big at 2015 ARIAs". Triple J. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  11. ↑ Knox, David (24 April 2017). "The Other Guy new local comedy for Stan". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  12. ↑ Knox, David (8 November 2019). "Returning: The Other Guy". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  13. ↑ Moran, Robert (21 September 2019). "'Comedy equals tragedy plus time': Matt Okine finds humour in grief". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Knox, David (27 November 2022). "Matt Okine worked for a decade to reboot Mother & Son". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  15. ↑ Knox, David (15 August 2024). "Renewed: Mother & Son". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  16. ↑ "Matt Okine". Kubler Auckland Management. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  17. ↑ Leeson, Josh (19 August 2021), "KLP explains why pumping out Diver City children's records is anything but silly", Newcastle Herald
  18. ↑ Price, Amy (14 March 2019). "Brisbane comedian Matt Okine has welcomed his first child, a baby girl". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  19. ↑ Gray, Lorna (5 September 2026). "Matt Okine worried about being the perfect dad. Then his daughter said four magical words". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  20. 1 2 Class Clowns: S1 Episode 5 Class Clowns. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 5 October 2026 – via iview.abc.net.au.
  21. ↑ Knox, David (4 June 2025). "Production underway in Victoria on Gnomes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  22. ↑ Knox, David (27 November 2022). "Matt Okine worked for a decade to reboot Mother & Son". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  23. ↑ Knox, David (15 April 2019). "Cameras roll on more of The Other Guy". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  24. ↑ Gambaro, Mike (3 September 2026). "Matt Okine shares powerful story of father's sacrifice". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  25. ↑ "Claire Hooper's House Of Games: Series 1". iview.abc.net.au. Retrieved 26 June 2025.[dead link]
  26. ↑ Knox, David (1 November 2024). "Returning: Drag Race Down Under". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  27. ↑ Knox, David (1 September 2023). "Airdate: Matt Okine Is Going To Die | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  28. ↑ Alfonso-Gregorio, Nikki (26 May 2022). "Comedian Matt Okine's cooking mentor is his Ghanaian dad". SBS Food. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  29. ↑ Knox, David (4 June 2015). "Gretel Killeen, Matt Okine to host new ABC series, How Not to Behave". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Awards Best Comedy Release". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 17 April 2022.

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