Katherine Ryan Sparks Backlash After Naming Her Favourite Child — And Calling Her Younger Kids ‘Privileged Nepobabies’
Katherine Ryan has divided opinion after openly admitting that her eldest daughter Violet is her favourite child, arguing that her three younger children enjoy privileges Violet never had.
The comedian, 43, is a mother of four. She shares Violet, 17, with a former partner, while Fred, three, Fenna, two, and nine-month-old Holland Juliette are her children with husband Bobby Koostra.
Appearing on Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast, Katherine surprised listeners by saying that Violet held a special place above her siblings because of the more difficult childhood circumstances they experienced together.
“Violet’s my favourite, she’s my first born,” Katherine said. “I think people don’t like that, they think it’s a provocative thing to say.”
She then explained that she did not worry about the effect the comment might have on her younger children because, in her view, they had grown up with advantages Violet was denied.
“I don’t worry about it hurting the other kids’ feelings because I go, guess what, those are nepobabies, Violet is my favourite,” she said.
“You get to go to private school, you get to grow up with a dad, that’s not fair, she’s my favourite.”
Katherine added: “I mean, that makes sense in a way, doesn’t it? They have privileges she doesn’t.”
Her comments quickly sparked a heated debate among listeners, with several people warning that openly identifying one child as a favourite could have lasting emotional consequences for the others.
One social media user wrote that telling children one sibling is preferred could make the others feel they were “not good enough” and potentially affect their future relationships.
Another listener said: “I felt really sad listening to this. Nepo babies can still be deeply hurt and damaged irreparably by their mothers.”
A third criticised Katherine’s approach, arguing that parents should still be concerned about hurting their children’s feelings, regardless of how privileged their lives may be.
However, some listeners defended the comedian and said they understood the deeper meaning behind her remarks.
One supporter suggested Katherine may feel more protective of Violet because they went through the struggles of single motherhood together, while her younger children were born after Katherine had achieved career success and greater financial stability.
Katherine has previously spoken candidly about raising Violet without meaningful support from her father.
Last year, she said she had protected him publicly while Violet was younger and avoided speaking negatively about him.
“I really protected him while my daughter was young — I would never say anything bad about him,” she said.
“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.”
Katherine has also described single motherhood as both difficult and rewarding, saying the experience created a uniquely close bond between herself and Violet.
“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,” she explained.
“You don’t have an example of another adult who isn’t doing it and you don’t have to consult with anyone. You know exactly where you stand, and you have this unique life experience.”
Katherine married Bobby in 2019 after the pair reconnected years after first dating as teenagers.
While her remarks about having a favourite child were delivered in her typically provocative style, they have raised questions over whether she was making a deliberately exaggerated joke or revealing a genuine family dynamic.
For Katherine, however, the explanation appears rooted in the life she and Violet shared before fame, financial security and a stable two-parent household changed the circumstances for her younger children.
