Katherine Ryan claims there's a 'dangerous comic' in British showbusiness

Katherine Ryan claims there is a 'perpetrator of sexual assault' working in British showbusiness.

The Canadian-born comedian, 40, said she decided to go on a programme with them, even though she believed the person 'is or was dangerous'.

She says she made a 'compromise' to go on a show with the unnamed comedian, but made sure to 'let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him'.

Ryan made the recent claims on today's (1 October) episode on the BBC Radio 4 show, where she spoke about her journey from Sarnia in Ontario, Canada, to becoming a regular on British TV.

Today's episode, which was recorded on on 6 September, saw Ryan claiming that people were already aware of the person's reputation.

When she called them out, she said that fellow colleagues 'really liked what I said'.

Host Lauren Laverne mentioned an interview she did with Louis Theroux last year, where she confronted a male comedian over allegations he was a sexual predator.

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Revealing why she has chosen not to name the comedian, Ryan explained: "[I got] a lot of 'why won't you say who it is?'.

"It's because everyone knows who it is, what they want is the women's names, and that's what I won't give and that's why I'm reluctant.

"No one's asking for his name. It's funny how people go straight to accusing 'you're the problem, you won't give his name'.

"We're not the problem. I had a choice - I could go to work with someone who 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. I thought what am I meant to do in this instance?

"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?"

BBC

"My compromise was I'm going to go and let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him," she said.

"I'm not just going to allow this behaviour, I'm not going to let him think that I don't know and that everybody he works with is just going to let him get away with it.

"So that is the attitude I took into the show. And did I do the right thing or the wrong thing? I still don't know.

"But I just felt why should I stay home? He should stay home, but if he's going to be there, I'm going to be there to tell him what I think."