Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised for comments he made about popstar Kylie Minogue in a podcast interview last week.

Albanese made an appearance on the Bush Deep podcast with comedian Nikki Osborne, who asked him whether he would “shag, marry or date” Minogue, actress Nicole Kidman or entertainer Rhonda Burchmore.

“Kylie, clearly”, the prime minister said.

He was quickly met by a wave of condemnation, with one MP calling his remarks “entirely inappropriate”, and another adding that they were “disrespectful to women… and demean the office of prime minister”.

In a one-line statement issued early on Monday, the prime minister said: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments”.