Kiri Pritchard-McLean on sharing her story as a foster carer on stage

As a frequent face on TV with a distinctive laugh and a white streak down the side of her hair, it’s tough for comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean not to stand out.

But in the process of becoming a foster carer, she had to conceal her identity, profession and Googleability to safeguard herself and those she was potentially taking in.

Now though, after a number of years of extensive training and many young people having passed through her doors, she’s able to be fully honest and can talk about her journey in her latest show – and hopefully inspire a few others.

“It’s really nice not to have a Bruce Wayne alter-ego any more,” she said.

“It was hard having kids coming into our home, opening up and being really honest and me using an alias with them. It felt very jarring.

“Now I can be Kiri the comedian. We largely have teenagers though and they couldn’t give a hoot they’re living with a stand-up!”

Foster caring

On their farm in Anglesey, north Wales, Kiri and her partner take in young people for anything from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks.

Respite fostering provides a vital backstop to give young people and their carers the chance to have a break, or to provide childcare cover for events and emergencies.

“I’d always imagined children in my future, but as time went on, from my late teens onwards, I wasn’t sure I wanted biological children,” she said.

“I felt a bit sort of odd and said it under my breath, but I’ve been more and more empowered as I’ve got older.

“I also found that you get to my age, 37, and people assume that if you don’t have children, it’s something we can’t talk about. Or you just don’t want them. I’m sort of not in either position.”

© Drew Forsyth

Kiri thought adoption might be a route into it in future, but with a career in comedy taking her on tours and to TV studios up and down the country, she couldn’t envisage ever settling down.

Respite foster care, therefore, seemed a perfect fit.

“It weirdly provided a level of flexibility, but also all the stuff about being a parental figure that I’m so excited about; having young people’s back and championing them, helping them be their best person. You get to do all that as a foster parent.”

Kiri’s fostering story

Within her show Peacock, which Kiri is taking to the Fringe for three nights next month, she is opening up the subject of fostering and different approaches to what family looks like.

Even her parents and brothers, who have always had care-centric careers, had plenty of questions and myths to be debunked.

“Me and my partner also had loads of preconceptions,” Kiri said.

“I thought, well, if we all didn’t know, then I’m sure people coming to my shows wouldn’t.

“I see so many women, in particular my age, stuck in this ever-narrowing passageway where the world is saying you have to have kids or you’ll regret it.

“They’re like me and don’t know if they’re ready, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t crave having young people around and supporting them.

“This has been an amazing option for us. Every time we have a young person come to us and, on the flip side, when we spend time with the many young people in our lives, we think we definitely made the right decision.”

In the less than glamorous venue of a council office on a weekday afternoon, Kiri found herself performing the show she’d written to an audience of nine social workers to get their approval.

“It was an awful as you’d expect,” she laughed. “It’s not the ideal gig, is it? I got through it because I did Zoom gigs through lockdown to no reaction.

“They were obviously deeply uncomfortable as well but very sweet. They even laughed and none of us expected that.

“It’s the only show touring that’s been signed off by nine social workers.”

‘Planting seeds’

The show is full of tears of both joy and sadness, reflective of the fostering experience.

“You take the rough with the smooth,” Kiri said. “It’s absolutely brilliant, but I always caveat that it’s not without its challenges.

“I feel lucky to be part of a generation of foster carers where we’re much more child-centred and trauma informed.

“There’s definitely generations who didn’t have a fair chance. Statistically it’s still absolutely terrible for people who have care experience in terms of their lifespan being demonstrably far, far shorter, and much more go to prison.

“Those aren’t bad children. There’s no such thing. That’s a system that’s let them down. I’m so glad we have one now that’s meeting needs far more adequately.”

The stand-up hopes to encourage more people who’ve considered fostering to take the next step and find out more.

She’s invited along organisations and local authorities to host stalls after the shows for anyone with any questions.

“It’s all about planting seeds, having the conversations,” she added. “I’m doing 100 dates. If I manage to make one person from each become a foster carer that would be a huge thing.”

Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Peacock, August 2-4, Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance One, 6pm