Peter Helliar ‘panic buys’ alcohol at a Melbourne bottle shop

The Project’s Peter Helliar ‘panic buys’ alcohol at a Melbourne bottle shop as Victoria enters its third lockdown

He’s one of the most memorable faces on TV as a host on The Project.

But on Friday, Peter Helliar barely looked recognisable as he stocked up on alcohol ahead of his home state entering its third lockdown.

Armed with a white face mask, sunglasses and hat, the 45-year-old told his followers on Instagram that he was panic buying, ahead of Victoria entering a five-day circuit breaker at midnight.

‘Stay strong Victoria!!’ The Project’s Peter Helliar (pictured), 45, was hardly recognisable on Friday as he stocked up on alcohol ahead of Victoria entering a five-day circuit breaker at midnight 

‘Fine line between panic buying and Friday! Stay strong Victoria!!’ the comedian captioned his post, where he was standing out the front of a Dan Murphy’s store.

Opting for an interesting wardrobe choice, the TV veteran donned a colourful Hawaiian shirt.

His ‘absolutely essential’ actions had many of his fans commenting in agreement, with some stating they had ‘been there done that’.

‘This was me!’ one follower wrote, before another added: ‘Essential shopping’. 

'Fine line between panic buying and Friday! Stay strong Victoria!!' Pete captioned his post, where he was standing out the front of a Dan Murphy's store

‘Fine line between panic buying and Friday! Stay strong Victoria!!’ Pete captioned his post, where he was standing out the front of a Dan Murphy’s store

Peter’s post comes after he left his co-stars on The Project in stitches when he asked infectious diseases expert Dr Paul Griffin about the new anal swab available in China to detect COVID-19.

‘OK, doc. A fresh outbreak today in Beijing. I’m sure you’re across it. They’ve decided that anal swabs are the best way to do the testing now,’ he said on the show on January 27.

‘Obviously it makes the drive-through testing a bit harder, I would imagine. Are there any plans for anal swabbing to become a bigger thing in Australia? If so, do we have to change the way we test? Do we all go a through a Liquorland or something? How does it work?’ 

'Are there any plans for it in Australia?' Peter's post follows him leaving his co-stars on The Project in stitches when he asked an infectious diseases expert about the new anal swab available in China to detect COVID-19 on January 27

‘Are there any plans for it in Australia?’ Peter’s post follows him leaving his co-stars on The Project in stitches when he asked an infectious diseases expert about the new anal swab available in China to detect COVID-19 on January 27

Dr Griffin explained: ‘We know our testing in Australia has been a huge part of our success.’

‘One of the concerns we have about those swabs when we do those nose swabs is we can induce a sneeze or a cough reflex.’

‘Certainly if we went to those other types of swabs, there are similar reflexes there that, in close proximity to someone’s face, might be a problem,’ he joked, while the show’s hosts burst into laughter.

Interview: The Project host was interviewing Dr Paul Griffin (pictured), who is an expert in infectious diseases, about the coronavirus vaccine when he asked about China's anal swab

Interview: The Project host was interviewing Dr Paul Griffin (pictured), who is an expert in infectious diseases, about the coronavirus vaccine when he asked about China’s anal swab