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Daniel Andrews’ Valentine's Day Revelation Brings The Laughs During Sombre Lockdown Press Conference

The premier doesn’t do what now?

Victorians were served an all too familiar sight on Friday when Premier Daniel Andrews held a snap press conference to announce a five-day statewide lockdown, but the leader surprisingly let slip an interesting tidbit about his personal life.

Famous for fronting more than 100 press conferences in a row as Melbourne endured its four-month strict lockdown in 2020, Andrews became one of the most recognisable blokes in Australia thanks to the sombre media announcements.

After a summer reprieve from restrictions, the whole of Victoria was on Friday plunged into stage four restrictions in a bid to stop the spread of the more-infectious UK variant of coronavirus.

While the announcement brought back memories of those solemn daily press conferences where new cases soared past 700, there was a moment on Friday that had Andrews and the press pack chuckling.

When a journalist pointed out that Valentine’s Day would fall on Sunday, the premier seemed baffled.

“Let me get some specific advice around that,” he said, while admitting it did not cross his mind that Valentine’s Day would fall during the lockdown.

“That’s not something we celebrate in our house. Don’t read anything into that,” he chuckled.

“It’s been a while since we were standing here. It’s all coming back!”

Andrews said the “short, sharp circuit breaker” strategy will ban public gatherings, home auctions, weddings and religious gatherings. Victorians may only leave their house for four essential reasons.

Last year Andrews stumbled into giving Melbourne a sex talk when a journalist asked him why intimate partners don’t need to wear masks when spending time together.

“The very nature of a platonic relationship between two people who are coming together to spend time with each other...” he explained in his usual serious tone.

“That’s very different to intimate partners, who by virtue of the fact that they are intimate partners, their contact is of a different nature.”

The premier finally cracked a smile while a room full of reporters broke out in laughter.

“I can’t quite believe I am having to explain that,” he sighed.

“But I am. But I am stopping there because I don’t think that serves any great purpose… 2020 - it’s full of surprises.”

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