‘I will never do a sex scene for any amount of money again!’
The Duchess star Katherine Ryan talks awkward filming, first kisses and why she loves this country…
Katherine Ryan has been a force to be reckoned with ever since she appeared on the British comedy scene in 2007. The Canadian-born star always knew she wanted a career in comedy, and found the UK was the place to make that happen.
After making a name for herself in stand-up, Katherine, 37, moved into the world of telly and has been a firm fixture on panel shows like 8 Out Of 10 Cats ever since. And now she’s starring in her very own Netflix series, The Duchess, which she also wrote.
Here, Katherine, who married her childhood sweetheart Bobby after
20 years apart and is mum to Violet, 11, tells us more…
Hi Katherine! How did the idea for The Duchess come about?
I loved being a single mother [Violet is from a previous relationship] and I never saw myself reflected in any sitcom, comedy, film or piece of work. I was really discouraged to see single mums portrayed as a mess, unravelled and hating their kids and drinking all the time. It didn’t resonate with me at all. For me, I wanted to see a very together, aspirational, powerful female character who’s complex and a bad person but a good mother. You can’t tell that whole story in stand-up. I thought it would be interesting to see this woman navigate what shape of a family she should have, considering some of the drama she’s had.
You do stand-up, acting, panel shows, writing… so much!
I think one thing enriches all of the others – it opens you up. There are people who would never have seen me do stand-up if they hadn’t discovered me on panel shows – and I never would have been chosen to write The Duchess if I hadn’t been doing stand-up. One feeds into the other. But I always want to do stand-up. That’s the craft that sets comedians apart, that is the meat and bones of my entire industry. Everything I have, I have because of stand-up.
It must feel amazing being on stage, too…
It’s unique and I hope we can do it again soon. The stand-up circuit has really suffered in lockdown. When my daughter was small and all I had was the circuit, I don’t know how I would have survived [without it].
So how was lockdown for you?
Homeschooling I f***ked right off. My daughter is already accepted into secondary school and I just thought, kids are having their own journey processing what’s happened and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, hopefully. I didn’t want Violet to feel too pressured with me breathing down her neck about math. The school was excellent and sent assignments. But mostly we went outside a lot. We’re lucky we moved out towards the countryside so we had a long, brilliant summer – we can’t complain.
Violet rides horses. Did you ride together in lockdown?
I don’t ride. I did when I was her age but it’s her thing. And I’m learning anything I do now is not cool so I don’t want to ruin it. The ponies are in a stable but there are different owners so we couldn’t ride them because we couldn’t interact with the other owners. We checked on them but my pony had to be segregated because he’s a sexual predator – he just kept trying to mount all the other horses!
What do you really miss from being in Canada?
I see people going on holiday to the lakes and that makes es me e homesick o es c – Canada really is beautiful – but ut nothing else. My y priority is creating ing a career and a wonderful life for my daughter r and I don’t think I could have done that there.
Do you have a nickname?
Kathbum. My mother has been calling me Kathbum since I was little and that’s my handle on my Instagram – it doesn’t really make sense as a handle, people think it’s explicit, but it’s just what my mother called me.
What’s the bravest thing you’ve done? Who was yyour first kisM kiss with?
A sex scene in The Duchess, which I will never be doing again in my life, for any ny amount of money ey in the world. I wasn’t even nude, de, and the crew were very sensitive about how to film it, but this is how I realised I’m no thespian. It was hideous! I haven’t even seen it
– I refuse to watch it.
Do you have a favourite TV show?
It’s 90 Day Fiancé. I wish I loved anything as much as this. I feel like it’s got everything. It’s about romance but also vulnerability and poor decision-making. I’m captivated.
What’s your perfect evening?
Going Go g to the t e pub and then coming home hom early and watching something s on the sofa. Just the t three of us and our dogs. do
My husband when we were 15. We broke up for 20 years after that, he married someone else and I had a baby with someone else. But we were at a basketball game in high s school and I de decided that
I li liked him so my frien friend announced to him that he would be my boyfriend until further notice, and then there w was a house party afterwa afterwards. The school colours w were red and black, we were the Northern Vikings, and he had hi his face painted and we w were kissing in a wardrob wardrobe at this party, and I had face paint all over my fa face.
‘Everything I have, I have because of stand-up – I always want to do it’
Do you hahave regrets?
Sacrificing any time while my daught daughter was little to go on dates with men who
Doing stand-up at last year’s Latitude Festival
were not worthy of my time. That’s the theme in The Duchess, too. She’s a single mother and kept her dating life at arm’s-length. Why would I ever hire a babysitter to go have dinner with a stranger? I always would have had more fun staying home with my daughter.
Is there anything that you’d change about yourself?
Just that I had more patience and that I could relinquish control because I’m always very active – if something goes wrong, I can’t just sit with it, I have to have an active solution in motion and that is sometimes fruitless.
When was the last time you cried?
In Birmingham the other week. When my daughter was really small she used to come on tour with me but that week I was without her and was thinking about how we used to walk around the city centres looking for things to do. But she doesn’t do that with me any more, so I really treasure that and miss that, so I was crying thinking about it.
Is there something you like that’s not good for your image?
My husband. My image is being a powerful, single mum. My last tour show was all about how you don’t need a
man and I was so passionate about getting that message out, so having a husband I really like is not on
brand for me!
What’s your biggest weakness?
‘Having a husband I really like is not on-brand for me!’
Breakfast wine. I don’t get drunk and I don’t like drinking at night really – I like to have one for lunch or brunch.
What’s the most expensive thing that you’ve ever splashed out on?
My dog, Megan. She’s a teacup shih-tzu and she’s highly unethical but I just wanted her and loved her. She was expensive and she’s so highmaintenance, with grooming and visits to the vet.
Where’s your favourite place in the UK?
I’m split. I love the New Forest, I love going on holiday there. There’s this place with treehouses so we go on country walks. But I also love gigging in Scotland. Glasgow is my favourite place – they had vegan food before anyone else, they’re really cosmopolitan and I love the attitude there.
The Duchess is available to watch now on Netflix
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