'I wouldn't have done that podcast': Albo regrets doing 'Bush Deep'

Anthony Albanese has admitted it was an error to appear on the Bush Deep podcast where he made controversial comments about Kylie Minogue and the Japanese Prime Minister, which led to headline news for weeks.

In an interview with Sarah Ferguson on 7.30 which aired on Thursday night, he said:

“I learned that I need to do better every day, and of course, if I had my time again, which you don’t, then I wouldn’t have done that podcast. 

"You know, we have a view which is [we’re] trying to talk to as many people as possible, but clearly that was an error.”

The Prime Minister was calm as he answered questions that could have made him uncomfortable, in stark contrast to another recent politician on the show who completely lost his composure under pressure.

Yes, I'm talking about Barnaby ‘barksalot’ Joyce.

READ MORE: 7.30’s Sarah Ferguson on her extraordinary Gisèle Pelicot interview

READ MORE: I interviewed ex-Duchess Sarah Ferguson. As a journo, it's a story I regret

 

 

 

 

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Anthony Albanese on the Bush Deep podcast

Last week, the Prime Minister said he was not expecting the questions he was asked on the podcast interview last month, during which he played a game that resulted in him confessing he would “shag” pop icon Kylie Minogue.

The conversation went viral in July, also because he also mentioned the crown melons – a Japanese delicacy – which Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gifted him when she was in Australia.

When questioned about whether Takaichi “smuggled” the melons into the country, considering our tight border security and quarantine laws, Albanese unfortunately made a juggling gesture at his chest, he said jokingly, “got a couple of melons … she brought two, as you do."

After weeks of public outrage and criticism, Bush Deep podcast host Nikki Osbourne then spoke entrepreneur Mark Bouris about the PM's appearance.

She alluded to the Albanese office's requests to remove a reference to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson from the lewd ‘shag, marry, kill’ game that she asked the PM to play, telling Bouris, “I’ve asked everyone on my show. Except they took Pauline Hanson out of the shag question because she was in it for other people.

“Like I don’t think I should mention Pauline. That’d be a bit controversial.”

Osborne also spoke about the backlash to the interview:

“It went international. I was just sitting in my hotel room going, ‘what have I done?’," she claimed.

“But at the same time, I knew exactly what I was doing," adding that she was appreciative of being able to “grow” her audience as a result.

Bouris' conversation with “Bush Barbie” showed that Osbourne isn't taking “the fall” for anything.

She wouldn't admit she put Albanese in any awkward position by getting him to play the game - and she claimed that in fact, he had been on the show previously so was aware of its nature.

“He's watched the show, he knew what he was getting into,” she told Bouris.