It was the Labour leader’s Theresa May moment – and it was about as risqué as his former rival’s memory of running through a field of wheat.

Two years after May was asked by ITV’s Julie Etchingham to share the naughtiest thing she had ever done, the broadcaster urged Jeremy Corbyn to reveal “the most romantic … wild and reckless” moment of his life – and eventually drew the answer that he had enjoyed some “wonderful holidays” with his wife, Laura Álvarez.

Corbyn’s reluctant reply came in previews of an interview with ITV’s Tonight show to be broadcast on Thursday evening, which drew a shocked response from some social media users after Corbyn gave a hazy answer to the question of whether he, like 90% of the population, chooses not to watch the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day.

Etchingham’s question on his romantic traits also drew an awkward response. “Wow. That’s a hard one. Nobody ever thinks of me as romantic,” he said when the question was first put to him.

The presenter asked again: “What is the most romantic sort of wild and reckless thing you’ve ever done?” to which Corbyn said: “You can’t ask that question on television!”

Etchingham pressed Corbyn, reminding him of the infamous occasion on which she asked Theresa May the naughtiest thing she ever did during the 2017 election, prompting the Labour leader to finally say: “When you’re with somebody, you have a great time together, and we’ve had some wonderful holidays together, and we enjoy that.”

May’s response to Etchingham’s question about her naughtiest moment drew widespread derision and imitation in memes. “I have to confess, when me and my friend, sort of, used to run through the fields of wheat – the farmers weren’t too pleased about that,” the former prime minister admitted.

In ITV’s The Leader Interviews: Jeremy Corbyn – Tonight, which airs at 7.30pm on Thursday, the Labour leader also spoke about his role as his household’s “head of composting”.

While Corbyn admitted he wasn’t very good at housework, he said: “I am good at putting the garbage out, I am good at putting the recycling out … I’m also the head manager of the whole composting arrangements.”

Corbyn said he would give up Chequers if he was elected as prime minister. In September, the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said he would let a homeless family move into No 11 Downing Street.

Corbyn was also asked if he would apologise to those who had suffered as a result of his party’s delays in dealing with allegations of antisemitism. “Antisemitism is a vile evil in our society. I am not a racist, in any form. I’ve spent my life opposing racism. And I think the treatment of Jewish people that suffer from antisemitism is appalling. And where there’s been delays, by my party, in instituting a process, of course I apologise to those that suffered as a result of it,” he said. His apology echoed a similar response in an interview on This Morning on Tuesday.

The Labour leader was also asked whether he watched the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day. When Etchingham asked if he sat down with his family to watch the speech, Corbyn said: “It’s on in the morning, usually we have it on … some of the time.”

After Etchingham pointed out that it was actually broadcast in the afternoon and accused the Labour leader of not watching it, he said: “There is lots … Lots to do … I enjoy the presence of my family and friends around Christmas. Obviously, like everybody else does. And I also visit the homeless shelter, either on Christmas Day or the day before, to talk to, and listen to people’s lives, about how they could be made better with a government that cared for them.”

If Corbyn does, in fact, skip the Queen’s speech, he would be in line with about 90% of the public who choose not to tune in. Last year, the Queen’s speech attracted an audience of 6.3 million people.