Australian singer and television presenter Dannii Minogue unexpectedly claimed she identifies as queer while launching British gay dating show, I Kissed a Girl.

Minogue, 52, was formerly married to fellow actor Julian McMahon, was once engaged to Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve, shares a son with rugby league player-turned model Kris Smith and has dated musician Adrian Newman for the past decade.

Last year she hosted the BBC show I Kissed a Boy, which aired on Network Ten in Australia.

“This is so important. There hasn’t been a show for the girls in the reality gay dating world,” Minogue said at the series launch on Friday morning (AEST).

“It’s like we need this to happen. I’m hoping that there are parties up and down the country,” she said of the female-only version of the Love Island-style show.

Minogue addressed her sexuality after the participants in the first episode made it clear they were attracted to her. When was asked if she too is attracted to women, she said: “I identify as queer in a weird way”.

“You girls are hot. You know it. I love it. I’m here for it,” she said.

In the series opener of I Kissed a Girl, 10 single women are matched into couples by the show’s researchers. They then set about discovering if they have chemistry or if they need to keep looking for romance among the other contestants. 

Minogue said she hoped the series was as successful as the boys’ version.

“I want this to go well, obviously. Everybody’s put everything on the line. I hope there are more series of this show, and more girls get the opportunity to have this experience,” she said.

The contestants are aged between 22 and 28, and originate from across the UK. They include a footballer, a chef, a fire-eater, and a publishing executive who has never been in a relationship with another woman.