Katherine Ryan says she hid her pregnancy out of fear she would lose work opportunities

Katherine Ryan has said that she kept her second pregnancy a secret, because she was scared it would lead to her losing work. 

The comedian, 38, was eight months pregnant when she presented ITV’s Ready To Mingle, a fact that she hid from everyone.

The mum-of-two – who has 12-year-old daughter Violet and one-year-old son Fred – claimed that you cannot get insured on a production if you are pregnant.

Speaking to The Sun, Katherine said: ‘During my pregnancy I wasn’t telling anyone. You can’t get insured on any production if you are pregnant. Sometimes, if you are important enough, they go the extra mile. You see Holly Willoughby pregnant and that’s because she’s worth it.

‘I tried to keep it secret. People just thought I was really fat for ages. I had to keep it quiet. I still needed to work to feed my family.’

She went on: ‘If you go on the BBC’s insurance site it says it doesn’t insure for any matters of the womb. If your vagina falls off on set, that’s it. You don’t want to let down a production if you have some complication of pregnancy.’

MailOnline has contacted the BBC and ITV for comment. 

Private: The comedian, 38, was eight months pregnant when she presented ITV’s Ready To Mingle, a fact that she hid from everyone (pictured October 2021) 

It comes after Katherine appeared on Lorraine last week, where she said as she has become more successful she has had less problems with sex pests in her industry. 

But she said female comics were still speaking among themselves about predatory men in the business.

She added that she was not trying to ‘out anyone’ when she revealed on her Amazon Prime TV series she confronted a colleague over being a sexual predator. 

She made the comments as she was asked whether there was still a problem in the entertainment sector.

Predators: It comes after Katherine appeared on Lorraine last week, where she said as she has become more successful she has had less problems with sex pests in her industry

Ms Ryan said: ‘It’s different for me to gage that as I have become more powerful and people behave differently than they used to as I’ve become a threat.

‘I wasn’t trying to name or out anyone, but female comics have that conversation – should I work with that person?

 ‘Should I conceal my pregnancy? I remember working at one place where producer couldn’t get insurance if pregnant.’

She made the comments speaking to Sara Pascoe during her new series Backstage With Katherine Ryan.

It sparked a guessing game online about who she was referring to in the remarks. 

The Canadian star – who has appeared on shows including Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Mock The Week and a League Of Their Own – said: ‘I’ve done a show with a person who I and you believe is a predator.

‘What am I supposed to do?  I’ve thought about that, but it’s such a messy thing because I don’t have proof – what, am I not supposed to feed my children because of someone else?’ 

Sara replied: ‘Also in that instance that you’re referencing it was about raising it.’ 

That prompted Katherine to admit: ‘I raised it. I called him a predator to his face and in front of everyone every day.’