Chris Dawson arrested over the 1982 murder of wife Lyn after The Teacher's Pet podcast

Chris Dawson has been arrested on the Gold Coast over the death of his wife, Lynette, who disappeared from their Sydney home nearly 37 years ago.

The 70-year-old was arrested on Wednesday morning following fresh statements from at least two witnesses. He was denied bail and a NSW Police request to extradite him from Queensland has been granted.

Ms Dawson was 33 when she went missing from Sydney’s northern beaches in January 1982, leaving behind two young daughters. Two days later, her husband moved his schoolgirl lover into his home.

The case came to prominence this year following The Australian’s investigative podcast series, The Teacher’s Pet.

Detectives from the NSW homicide squad began reinvestigating her suspected murder in 2015, calling on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to review their brief of evidence in April this year.

Earlier this week, the OPPD provided advice to police, and following further inquiries, detectives applied for an arrest warrant before travelling to Queensland.

The 70-year-old appeared in Southport Magistrates Court where NSW Police sought his extradition.

Dawson instructed his solicitors to apply for bail, however his request was refused.

The former Newtown Jets rugby league player has long been a suspect in the case but denies any involvement in his wife’s disappearance.

In September, police dug up the backyard at the Bayview home the couple had shared but did not find remains or items of interest.

Lynette Dawson’s family have been made aware of the arrest and police will address Sydney journalists on Wednesday.