Katherine Ryan makes a rare red carpet appearance with her 'favourite' child Violet, 17, at the National Youth Theatre's 70th Anniversary Gala

Katherine Ryan made a rare red carpet appearance with her 'favourite' child Violet at the National Youth Theatre's 70th Anniversary Gala on Sunday evening.

The Canadian comedian, 43, took her 17-year-old daughter for a night out at The Royal Festival Hall.

Katherine has four children – Violet from a previous relationship, and Fred, three, Fenna, two, and Holland, with her childhood sweetheart Bobby Koostra, whom she married in 2019. 

The TV star wowed in a shimmering multi-coloured dress as she posed alongside her stylish daughter who wore denim jeans and a sparkling black top. 

Katherine revealed Violet is the favourite out of her brood in a birthday tribute last month as she gushed how 'proud' she is of her.

She wrote: 'The Favourite is 17. I've been proud of you, Violet since before you could roll over and look at you now! Singing, acting, dancing, writing, working, *LIVING LAUGHING LOVING* slaying. 

'More charming and tougher and smarter and better than I am in every way HALLELUJAH (car wrap b6 @magic_automotive is actually a different colour but we didn't want to show it until the police reports come rolling in). 

'YOU TRY DRIVING IN PLATFORMS. Love you so much xx'

Speaking on Davina McCall's Begin Again podcast, Katherine hammered home her point as she admitted she favours Violet above her other three children.

When pushed on why she felt that way, she explained that she deemed her younger children 'nepobabies' as they had grown up with the privileges born of her success, such as a private education, while Violet had missed out on these.

Additionally, the absence of Violet's father, which Katherine has frequently discussed including on her podcast Telling Everybody Everything and stand-up specials, was one of the factors that pushed Violet up the list.

Speaking to Davina, she said: 'Violet's my favourite, she's my first born. I think people don't like that, they think it's a provocative thing to say...

'I don't worry about it hurting the other kids' feelings because I go, guess what, those are nepobabies, Violet is my favourite. You get to go to private school, you get to grow up with a dad, that's not fair, she's my favourite...

'I mean that makes sense in a way doesn't it, they have privileges she doesn't.'

The comments received backlash from followers of the podcast on Facebook, with one user writing: 'Seriously - or maybe she’s joking (as I understand she is in comedy)… but if serious - Good luck when they grow up...

'Telling one of your children is your favourite has long lasting effects on the others...

'The others will feel they are not good enough which will feed into their future relationships. The favourite one will have more confidence but may experience a level of guilt. Words can cut sharper than knives. (I’m still hopeful she’s just joking).'

Another user echoed the feelings, writing: 'I felt really sad listening to this. Nepo babies can still be deeply hurt and damaged irreparably by their Mothers'.

Agreeing further, a viewer penned: 'Mm as a mother I do not like that at all, even if it's true. Stuff like this can be really emotionally damaging and as their mum it's up to you to protect them not to just say "life isn't fair"...

'You absolutely should worry about hurting your child's feelings, mine didn't worry either and now I don't talk to him at all.'