Biography
Katherine Louisa Ryan (born June 30, 1983) is a multifaceted performer hailing from Canada but now residing in the UK. Katherine is renowned for her comedic wit and has left her imprint on British television through her appearances on popular panel shows, including “8 Out of 10 Cats” and “Never Mind the Buzzcocks.” She has also hosted the BBC Two show “Hair.” In addition to her comedic ventures, Katherine has also acted in various UK TV series such as “Campus,” “Episodes,” and the Netflix original “The Duchess
Katherine is known as a stand-up comedian and has performed on the BBC’s Live at the Apollo in both supporting and headlining roles. She has released two stand-up specials on Netflix.
Early Life
Katherine was born to an Irish immigrant father, Finbar, a draughtsman and proprietor of an engineering firm, and a British-Canadian mother, Julie McCarthy, the owner of an IT consulting company. Katherine was raised in Sarnia, Ontario, alongside her two younger sisters. Growing up, Katherine had the opportunity to immerse herself in her Canadian and Irish heritage, spending time with her paternal grandparents in Cork, Ireland. However, Katherine‘s upbringing was not without its challenges, as she and her sisters were impacted by their parent’s separation when Katherine was in her teenage years.
At 18, Katherine opted to pursue her passion for city planning by enrolling at the Toronto Metropolitan University (previously known as Ryerson University) in Toronto. To support herself, Katherine took up a job as a waitress at Hooters, where she honed her skills and even trained fellow workers. She discovered her talent for stand-up comedy in her leisure hours and honed her craft until she had a polished routine by graduation. Katherine also showed versatility by performing as a dancer in MuchMusic’s Electric Circus program.
Career
After graduating, Katherine continued to work for Hooters as a corporate trainer, traveling across Canada to train servers and helping open the company’s first UK branch in Nottingham. In 2007, her partner wanted to visit London, so she agreed to spend a month there, eventually deciding to move permanently in January 2008. Since moving to the UK, Katherine has appeared on several British television shows such as Campus, Episodes, and Badults.
Katherine stars writes, executive produces and is the creator of the Netflix comedy series “The Duchess,” which premiers in August 2020. It is based on her experiences as a single mother living in London.
She also contributed a weekly column to the British entertainment magazine NME and appeared in a music video for Jack and Dean’s song “Consent” in 2014, where she played a character. In 2016, She also lent her voice to the character Ranceford, a white, odd-eyed cat leader of the Sunshine Circle for Cats in Disney XD and Teletoon’s animated television series Counterfeit Cat.
Katherine hosted the six-part BBC2 reality competition show “All That Glitters: Britain’s Next Jewellery Star.”
She will also host the dating show “Ready to Mingle” on ITV2. Additionally, Katherine was interviewed on the BBC series “Louis Theroux Interviews… with Louis Theroux,” where she discussed an alleged sexual abuser’s “open secret” with the host.
Personal Life
In the past, Katherine has had her fair share of romantic connections, including a relationship with TV host Jeff Leach and fellow comedian Alex Edelman. However, she has now found stability with Bobby Koostra, her sweetheart from her teenage years. The couple rekindled their romance when Katherine returned to her hometown to film the movie “Who Do You Think You Are?
Katherine has three kids, a boy, and two girls. She welcomed her third child, a baby girl, in December 2022.
She currently resides in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, with her family.
Social Media
Net worth
Katherine Ryan is a Canadian comedian, writer, presenter, and actress with an estimated net worth of US$4 million.