The comedian gave birth to her fourth child in October 2025.
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Two months after welcoming daughter Holland, Katherine teased that she had undergone “serious cosmetic surgery” and had even taken her newborn with her when she went for the procedure. She has now gone into detail about exactly what she had done.
Speaking on her podcast, Telling Everybody Everything, she said: “The surgery was a facelift. Yes, a full facelift – a little bit of fat transfer to my cheekbone area, and a small bleph[aroplasty].
“A bleph is when they take a tiny bit of your eyelid skin, though not too much, and then they’ll usually, to avoid hollowness, put a little bit of fat back in there too. So I had some fat put in, like my upper face, my eyelids, and then I had a facelift."
She explained that she felt like she “needed” to do the surgery. “Almost metaphorically, I needed to do something, to reclaim my identity, to reclaim my autonomy, to claw back the face that I had in, like, 2019."
She added that she didn’t want to look how she did 20 years ago, but wanted to look how she did before COVID. “I am not crazy,” she said. “I’m not trying to wind it back to 2006. I’m just trying to look the way I did, like, pre-COVID, pre-six pregnancies in five years.”
Katherine Ryan is now 41. Born in Canada, she moved to Britain in her early twenties and rose to fame on shows including Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats, and Would I Lie to You? She has since fronted Netflix specials, starred in The Duchess, and built a loyal audience through her podcast, where she frequently discusses motherhood, marriage and cosmetic procedures with frankness.
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A mother of six, including teenage daughter Violet from a previous relationship and several children with husband Bobby Kootstra, Ryan has often spoken openly about the physical toll of multiple pregnancies in a short space of time. Her latest comments reflect that same transparency – something she has built her brand around.
She is far from the only celebrity to speak candidly about undergoing a facelift. Sharon Osbourne has been open about her cosmetic surgery journey, previously admitting to having a facelift and later saying she had “gone too far” with procedures before scaling back. Jane Fonda, now in her 80s, has also confirmed she had a facelift in the past, though she later said she regretted it, explaining she did not want to appear as though she was chasing youth indefinitely.
In recent years, stars including Marc Jacobs and Kris Jenner have also acknowledged facelift procedures. Fashion designer Jacobs shared his post-surgery recovery openly on social media, while Jenner has confirmed having a facelift years ago, contributing to a broader cultural shift toward transparency about aesthetic enhancements.
@britpodclips Katherine Ryan On Kris Jenner New Face Lift 👀 #katherineryan #sugery #krisjenner #surgeon #facelift #gkbarry #savinggrace #tiktok #fyp ♬ original sound - BritPodClips
The procedure Ryan described – combining a facelift with fat transfer and blepharoplasty – has become increasingly common among patients seeking more natural-looking results. Rather than dramatically altering appearance, many opt for subtle adjustments aimed at restoring volume and tightening skin.
Ryan’s reasoning, however, was less about chasing youth and more about identity. Her framing of the surgery as a way to “reclaim” herself reflects a growing conversation about bodily autonomy after pregnancy. For some women, cosmetic procedures are seen as controversial; for others, they are part of feeling comfortable in their own skin.
As ever, Ryan addressed the topic in her trademark direct style, anticipating criticism but refusing to apologise. By detailing both the cost and the specifics of the surgery, she has once again positioned herself as one of the few public figures willing to speak plainly about an issue many prefer to keep private.
Whether praised for her honesty or questioned for her timing, Katherine Ryan has made one thing clear: the decision was hers – and she stands by it.
