The notorious chain smoker has not posted an image of himself to social media since October 23, 2024 – 468 days ago.

In that image, Andrews’ face appeared a shade of red, with some insiders claiming it to be the telltale sign of health difficulties stemming from a stress-filled life and an appetite for vices such as alcohol and cigarettes.

‘It’s no secret he likes a drink and loves a smoke just as much,’ one insider told Daily Mail on Tuesday.

His only other recent public appearance was snapped in China while he was watching a huge Communist military parade in September.

Andrews was filmed being greeted by President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan on a red carpet procession before the parade kicked off.

Andrews and Xi shook hands for several seconds as both men appeared to exchange warm pleasantries.

Dan Andrews’ last public post to social media in October 23, 2024 – voting Yes to the Voice to Parliament

Allies were alarmed when Dan Andrews did not issue a public statement marking the death of his friend Tim Picton. Pictured above with Picton’s wife Priya Brown

He also happily posed for a ‘family photo’ alongside a rogues’ gallery of world leaders, including the  likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea‘s Kim Jong Un and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.

It is understood that Andrews was attending in a personal capacity, plying his trade as a lobbyist after leaving political office.

Alarm bells about Andrews’ health were first raised last month when close friend and former Labor powerbroker Tim Picton died, and insiders noted Andrews unusually made no public comment.

Details about why Andrews was being treated have been tightly controlled, with one senior source telling the Herald Sun the secrecy was on par with that around former F1 champ Michael Schumacher’s condition after his ski accident.

In March 2020, as Victoria’s first lockdown began, Andrews warned Victorians that it was not appropriate to ‘have all your mates around to your house to get on the beers’.

He angered them even further years later upon releasing the state from what became the longest Covid lockdown in world history.

Asked if Victorians could finally ‘get on the beers’, Andrews scoffed at the suggestion.

‘I don’t know that I’ll be drinking a beer tonight,’ Andrews said. ‘I might go a little higher up the shelf.’

Dan Andrews (top right) sparked a fierce backlash when he attended a Communist parade in China alongside the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un