

Katherine Ryan tells of the sex pest in the green room
'Famous comic showed fellow acts videos of himself having sex'
Katherine Ryan has again called out sexual misconduct in the comedy industry – saying one ‘very famous’ comic showed videos of himself having sex to other stand-ups backstage.
She did not identify the comedian, other than to say he wasn’t British.
Ryan explained: 'He was very famous, very rich, very powerful, and he was in a room on a big show. I was one of a few women on that bill, maybe three women.
‘And there was a young female comedian who was starting out who was next to him, and he was with all the lads, showing pictures and videos on his phone that he had taken of himself having sex with women.
'So, like, really intimate photos, intimate videos and he was showing them. His penis was in a lot of these videos.'
Speaking on the latest episode of the Nip Tuck podcast, Ryan explained how the up-and-coming comic came to her for support.
’She felt very uncomfortable about that and then she came into my dressing room to be like, "Oh, I didn't like him showing me that" and she's about to go on stage.
'She's very new. I was even quite new at that time, but yeah, stuff like that and being a minority in that situation, which female comedians, especially when I was starting out, were always minorities.'
'In every green room, every dressing room, there are things we can't do that the boys can do. We can't take a night bus. We can't sleep on the floor with like, four other comedians starting out a lot of times. We have children that we have to look after, and then we get fans who, like, could kill us.'
Ryan has previously spoken about her 'scary' experiences with male fans in the early days of her television career.
And she spoke of her dilemma of taking a job with someone she thought was sexual predator – widely assumed to be her Roast Battle co-star Russell Brand, although she has never named him.
Speaking on Desert Island Discs she said: ‘ I could go to work with someone whom I believe to be a perpetrator of sexual assault, or I could turn down the job. Those were my options. And so I wrestled with that.
‘The choice is, do I go to work with someone who I think is very problematic and do I stand near them and laugh and smile and look like I am allowing this kind of person to still be on television, or do I stay home?
‘My compromise was, alright, I’m gonna go, but I’m going to let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him. I’m not gonna just smile and look like I’m allowing this behaviour.’
Brand has always aways said his sexual encounters were all consensual. He has been charged with rape, indecent assault and sexual assault between 1999 and 2005 and ordered to appear in front of magistrates on May 2.
Published: 24 Apr 2025

Katherine Ryan: The murder that taught me to fear men
Katherine Ryan has told of the horrific murder which…
2/10/2021

Katherine Ryan: Vindictive lies about my daughter really hurt
Katherine Ryan was once investigated by child protection…
19/09/2021

Katherine Ryan records new stand-up show for Amazon
Katherine Ryan is filming a new stand-up showcase for…
5/07/2021

BBC rejects complaints over 'white male confidence' joke
The BBC has rejected complaints about Katherine Ryan…
28/05/2021
BBC orders a second series of All That Glitters
The BBC has ordered a second series of the Katherine…
27/05/2021
Netflix won't renew Katherine Ryan's The Duchess
Netflix won’t be making a second series of The…
29/04/2021
Katherine Ryan to host new ITV2 dating show
Katherine Ryan is to host a new ITV2 dating game show…
26/04/2021
Katherine Ryan writes her autobiography
Katherine Ryan is writing her autobiography,…
26/01/2021
Katherine Ryan to host a TV jewellery show
Katherine Ryan is to host a new BBC Two search for…
26/08/2020
Katherine Ryan to voice Comedy Central’s Most Ridiculous
Katherine Ryan is to take over as the host of Comedy…
23/06/2020
Katherine Ryan tops podcast chart
Katherine Ryan’s new podcast has gone to…
18/04/2020
Slowthai apologies for his lecherous advances on Katherine Ryan
Rapper Slowthai has apologised for his ‘shameful’…
13/02/2020
Products
Book (2021)
The Audacity. by Katherine Ryan
Past Shows
Agent
We do not currently hold contact details for Katherine Ryan's agent. If you are a comic or agent wanting your details to appear here, for a one-off fee of £59, email steve@chortle.co.uk.