Katherine Ryan, celebrated as one of the funniest women in showbusiness, has opened up about the profoundly challenging path that led to her success. The Canadian comic's story is one of resilience, driven by a serious health diagnosis and a determination to build a life for her family against the odds.
A life-altering diagnosis and a decisive choice
At the age of 23, Katherine Ryan received a diagnosis of lupus, an autoimmune disease that can severely impact fertility. Faced with this news and feeling "quite ill at the time," she made a deliberate and urgent decision with her then-boyfriend to try for a baby. Her daughter, Violet, was the result of that choice. Ryan reflects now that her youthful perspective shaped the decision, telling The Guardian, "At 23, I couldn't see how long life is, and how many things can change."
Her early adulthood was a period of significant movement and varied experience. She left her family home in Sarnia, Ontario, for Toronto at 18, later working as a podium dancer at the Playboy Mansion and at Hooters, which she clarifies was not a topless bar. A subsequent move to London with her boyfriend proved difficult, with the high cost of living rendering her "immediately poor."
The white-knuckle ride of single motherhood and stand-up
After her relationship with Violet's father ended, Ryan embarked on what she describes as a "white knuckle ride" to build a career as a single mother. She realised quickly that her former partner would not be a beneficial presence in their lives, "financially or logistically." Determined to make a life in London work, she chose not to return to Canada, admitting "there was a time when I felt shame about" being a single parent.
Her foray into stand-up comedy was forged during this demanding period. While on maternity leave from a sales job, Ryan would care for Violet during the day and take her daughter to comedy clubs at night as she tried to break into the industry. She faced a landscape where female comics were often "discouraged from being feminine," with bookers claiming women would be jealous and men distracted. "We were doing our best just to be invisible or emulate what the boys were doing," she recalls.
A thriving career and a joyful family life
Ryan's formidable drive and talent ultimately paid off, catapulting her to become a household name in UK comedy. Her professional success is now matched by personal happiness. She reconnected with and married her childhood sweetheart, Bobby Kootstra, six years ago.
The family has grown significantly since. Now a mother of four, Ryan's eldest child Violet is 16. She and Bobby are also parents to three-year-old Fred, two-year-old daughter Fenna, and three-month-old Hoilland. In a testament to how far she has come, Ryan recently welcomed her newborn daughter in a remarkably swift 45-minute labour. She has never publicly disclosed the identity of Violet's father.
Fans can see Katherine Ryan's comedy special 'First Born Daughter' on Sky Comedy, and she stars in 'Out of Order' season 2 on Comedy Central. Her journey from a daunting health prognosis to comedy stardom and a bustling family home stands as a powerful narrative of perseverance and self-belief.
