Katherine Ryan says her eldest is her favourite child because her other kids are 'privileged nepobabies with a present dad and private education'

 Katherine Ryan has caused shockwaves by admitting she 'has a favourite child'. 

The funnywoman, 43, has four kids - Violet, 17, from a previous relationship, and Fred, three, Fenna, two, and Holland Juliette, nine months, with her childhood sweetheart Bobby Koostra, whom she married in 2019.

Speaking on Davina McCall's Begin Again podcast, Katherine shocked fans when 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.'

Some however saw Katherine's point: 'She’s more protective over the eldest because she doesn’t have her dad in her life and they went on the journey together whereas the younger kids got the better version of her that had already achieved success.'

Last year, Katherine shed light on her arrangements with Violet's dad for the first time, saying: 'I really protected him while my daughter was young – I would never say anything bad about him... 

'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.'

On the experience of being a single mother, she went on: '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...

'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.'