BOBBY DAZZLER
Who is Katherine Ryan’s partner Bobby Kootstra? Meet the Canadian-Irish comedian’s beau
The comedian has been very candid about the couple's sex life
OVER the years Katherine Ryan has won over an army of fans thanks to her quick wit and sassy humour.
But when the Canadian-Irish comic is not busy taking over the world of comedy she enjoys nothing more than spending time with her husband, Bobby Kootstra.
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Who is Bobby Kootstra?
Bobby Kootstra is the civil partner of Katherine Ryan, and was also her childhood sweetheart.
He hails from the comedian's native Canada and it is reported he works in the broadcast industry.
The pair were young lovebirds but went their separate ways.
However, they got back together 20 years after Katherine returned to Canada in 2018 to film BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?.
You can follow Bobby on Instagram under @bobby_k__. where he regularly posts pictures of him and Katherine together.
The couple have also appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox together.
Bobby's comic wife is best known for starring in her Netflix sitcom The Duchess.
She has also appeared on comedy panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Mock The Week and Have I Got News for You.
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Katherine also has had success with BBC Two show All That Glitters.
In 2024 she joined forces with fellow comedian Joe Wilkinson for travel show Joe & Katherine's Bargain Holidays.
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Is Katherine Ryan married?
The couple aren't married, but they have been in a civil partnership since December 2019 and they go by "husband and wife".
They opted to conduct their ceremony in Denmark because it was “quickest and easiest”.
Katherine said on ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show: “It was a lovely day.
“It’s perfect having a civil partner.
"We didn’t have a wedding, I didn’t need to put on a white dress and pretend to be a virgin, that ship has sailed!”
Katherine is very candid about her relationship with her husband, including their sex life.
Luckily my husband Bobby and I haven’t been married that long and still really fancy each other. But in reality, working parents who have small children are so knackered by nighttime, intimacy is just off the table.
Katherine Ryan
In early 2024, she caused a stir when she revealed she and Bobby “have sex exactly twice a month”.
However, by March 2024, she told The Sun that the couple's sex life had since picked up.
Referring to the number of times they get busy, she said: “That number has gone up a bit as the kids have got older.
“It’s important.
“Luckily my husband Bobby and I haven’t been married that long and still really fancy each other.
“But in reality, working parents who have small children are so knackered by nighttime, intimacy is just off the table.
"We find stolen moments in the day like before heading to work or during a nap, which isn’t always very alluring.”
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How many children does Katherine Ryan have?
The couple have two kids together, and she has a teenage daughter called Violet from a previous relationship.
In June 2021, Katherine gave birth to her first child with Bobby.
At the time, she shared a picture of herself lying beside their son Fred and told fans: "I have a really good reason yesterday's podcast was late."
They then welcomed another baby together in December 2022.
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Sharing the news of their daughter's birth, Bobby told fans: "Fenna Grace Kootstra Dec 16, at 12:05am.
"Mom is incredible! Proving her strength repeatedly through the relatively lengthy delivery at home. We are so blessed:)"
The family all appear together in their own UK Play TV show called Katherine Ryan: Parental Guidance.
The show kicked off in February 2024, with the synopsis reading: "Comedian and mother-of-three Katherine Ryan explores out-of-the-box parenting ideas, and meets families across the UK who are living and breathing them."
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Who is the father of Katherine Ryan's first child?
Katherine's first daughter Violet was born in 2009 and her father is Alex Edelman.
Like her mum, the teenager's dad is also a comedian.
American comic Alex had an on/off relationship with Katherine for many years before they called it quits.
He is best known for his stand-up tours and in 2014 was named Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Katherine Ryan's thoughts on motherhood
Ever the candid comedian, Katherine has often been very honest about what it's like to be a mother to three kids
The comedian previously admitted that having children "ruined" the life she had before becoming a mum.
Speaking to Women Mangazine she said: "My children have enriched my life, they’re such a blessing and I would never trade them for anything,’ she said, in a candid interview with Women Magazine.
"I would be lying if I said they didn’t ruin the life I had before. But I rebuilt a better one and that’s fine.
"I would be pretending if I said that I could still do all the things that I could before and I think we’re selling this fantasy of what motherhood means if we aren’t honest about that."
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