Katherine Ryan: Firstborn Daughters, Celine Dion & Why Women Should Misbehave

Why did Katherine Ryan fly home from Spain on her own?

In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by comedian, presenter and author Katherine Ryan, ahead of her new book Confessions of a Firstborn Daughter (out 22nd October).

They get into eldest daughter syndrome, juggling four kids and a career, and why Katherine thinks women should misbehave a little more.

Plus, there’s a Romesh gift with a very questionable backstory, a game of Misquoted involving maple syrup and a Bolognese, and some strong opinions on how to clean a toilet properly.



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A Ranga Bee Production.



Chapters:

00:00 Intro02:29 Katherine's Spanish escape07:47 Celine Dion in Paris13:26 A gift for Katherine17:18 Kids' birthday parties and drunk mums23:17 Parenting with a nanny rota28:04 The double standards women face29:07 Katherine's secret life in the TikTok comments36:26 Hollywood and Nikki Glaser39:39 Hiding a pregnancy on a sitcom41:38 Confessions of a Firstborn Daughter42:34 What is eldest daughter syndrome?47:41 A question from Shanthi48:22 Katherine's 17-year-old daughter, Violet51:36 Cosmetic procedures and confidence58:49 Misquoted1:09:09 Outro
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The world’s biggest stars join Romesh for candid conversations and loads of laughs. Every Monday, Romesh Ranganathan meets actors, musicians, comedians and icons who share stories you won’t hear anywhere else, combining humour, heart and genuine insight. Expect backstage anecdotes, untold tales from the spotlight, and extraordinary insight into what makes them tick. On Thursdays, Rom’s mum Shanthi joins the show to share family stories, answer audience questions, and offer her no-nonsense take on life, proving that the funniest and most relatable conversations often happen around the kitchen table. Leave a voice note for Romesh and Shanthi by messaging +447731623355, @theromeshshow on Instagram, or emailing [email protected]. A Ranga Bee Production.

• No. of episodes: 112
• Latest episode: 2026-10-18
• Comedy Society & Culture

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