Comedian Katherine Ryan has broken her long-standing silence to publicly criticise the father of her 16-year-old daughter Violet for the first time, branding him a 'no-contact parent' who 'never pays for anything' or 'makes sacrifices' for their child.
Years of Protection End
The 42-year-old comedian, who raised Violet alone after splitting from her ex-partner whom she met on the comedy circuit in Canada, has never publicly identified the father. The couple separated after moving to Britain in 2011, and Ryan has maintained discretion about his identity throughout Violet's childhood.
In a candid new interview, Ryan declared: 'He hasn't been the type of dad that you would want for your daughter.' She explained that while she previously protected him during Violet's younger years, she now believes her daughter is old enough to draw her own conclusions about her father's limited involvement.
'Breadcrumbing' Communication
Speaking on the Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald podcast, Ryan revealed: 'I really protected him while my daughter was young – I would never say anything bad about him. But now she's 16, she can see for herself that, unfortunately, he's not a bad person, but he's never made any sacrifices, never paid anything for her, just kind of texts her, which I think is breadcrumbing.'
Ryan, who also has three children with husband Bobby Koostra, had previously been reticent to discuss Violet's father, stating in her 2019 Netflix special Glitter Room: 'He's my child's dad, and for that reason I shall never say a bad word about him.' That protective stance has now shifted as Violet reaches adulthood.
Minimal Effort Required
The comedian outlined how simple maintaining contact could be, stating: 'All you have to do with a teenage girl is drive to the mother's house, send her a text, and go, 'Do you want to come get a Starbucks with me?' It's all they have to do.'
She elaborated with a specific example: 'If not, I'll go get you a Starbucks. I'll drop it off. You come to the car, I'll give it to you, say, 'Hey, how are you? I love you. Here's your Starbucks, bye.' No pressure.'
Reflections on Single Parenthood
Ryan, who previously described her years as a single mother as 'a wonderful decade,' reflected on her experience during an appearance on the White Wine Question Time podcast with Kate Thornton. She explained: 'I don't think being a single mother explicitly was a struggle. Being a single mother is fantastic and rewarding, and you know that you can't rely on anyone else so you just do it and you do it without resentment.'
The Duchess star added: 'You know exactly where you stand, and you have this unique life experience.' This perspective contrasts sharply with her current assessment of Violet's father's involvement, which she describes as requiring minimal effort but meaningful presence.
Ryan concluded with a pointed observation about parental responsibility: 'I think I would be a great non-contact parent because it's so easy. The flow goes one way – parent to child. Just make yourself available, make some type of sacrifice.' Her comments highlight the disparity between her own parenting approach and what she perceives as her ex-partner's lack of engagement with their daughter.
