Begin Again with Davina McCall
Katherine Ryan on Feminism, Face Lifts & Controversial Parenting!
30 Oct 2025
In this episode of Begin Again, comedian, writer and mother Katherine Ryan opens up about the fierce, funny and sometimes controversial journey that shaped who she is today. Katherine shares her unfiltered take on feminism, aging, and identity from her early years navigating beauty standards and working at Hooters, to embracing her femininity and her candid thoughts on getting surgery without shame. She speaks openly about her parenting choices, including co-sleeping, early potty training, and raising her children in a way that challenges convention. The conversation dives into the emotional complexity of family life, including Katherine’s experience brokering her parents’ divorce at 15, her mother’s influence, and the story behind the face lift she gifted her. She also reflects on rekindling love with her high school sweetheart, and how their shared small-town values created an unexpected foundation for her family today. With trademark wit and remarkable vulnerability, Katherine Ryan invites us into her world a space where contradictions coexist, shame is optional, and motherhood, feminism, and identity are all up for redefinition. (00:00) Intro (01:22) Who Is Katherine Ryan? (01:50) Embracing Femininity and Feminism (03:59) Why Turning 40 Is Actually Great (07:09) Oversharing, Shame, and Owning Your Story (09:31) Protecting Children on Social Media (11:55) Katherine on Her Parents and Childhood (15:21) Learning to Stop Caring What Others Think (17:13) Dealing With Offense, Annoying People, and Growing Thick Skin (20:31) How Katherine Brokered Her Parents' Divorce at 15 (26:49) Single Motherhood and Spoiling Her Kids (31:29) Do Parents Really Have a Favourite Child? (32:34) Ancient & Brave Ad (33:40) Reuniting With Her High School Sweetheart (43:27) Working at Hooters: The Untold Story (49:37) Starting Stand-Up at 20 and Being a Woman in Comedy (56:33) Misogyny, the Patriarchy, Plastic Surgery, and Self-Love (01:05:56) Inside Katherine’s Parenting Style (01:15:24) Working in British Television (01:22:18) What Legacy Does Katherine Ryan Want to Leave? Sponsored by: Ancient + Brave - https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other recent transcribed episodes
Transcribed and ready to explore now
NPR News: 12-08-2025 2AM EST
08 Dec 2025
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-07-2025 11PM EST
08 Dec 2025
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-07-2025 10PM EST
08 Dec 2025
NPR News Now
Meidas Health: AAP President Strongly Pushes Back on Hepatitis B Vaccine Changes
08 Dec 2025
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Democrat Bobby Cole Discusses Race for Texas Governor
07 Dec 2025
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Fox News Crashes Out on Air Over Trump’s Rapid Fall
07 Dec 2025
The MeidasTouch Podcast