Young Sheldon: Who is Kathryn Dempsey?

The romantic lives of the Cooper family are far from simplistic, but who is Kathryn Dempsey in Young Sheldon? Here’s what you need to know.

As Young Sheldon draws to a close with Season 7, fans are hoping that plenty of outstanding storylines will get wrapped up.

Alongside existing plots in main series The Big Bang Theory, other narratives such as George Cooper Snr.’s death, Sheldon’s time in Germany, and Georgie and Mandy’s relationship are all set to be looked at with a keener eye.

However, one name has been back on the minds of Young Sheldon fans – but who exactly is Kathryn Dempsey? Here’s everything you need to know.

Young Sheldon: Who is Kathryn Dempsey?

Although we don’t see her on screen, previous episodes of Young Sheldon have told fans that Kathryn Dempsey was George’s first love.

During Season 2 Episode 13 of Young Sheldon, titled ‘A Nuclear Reactor and a Boy Called Lovey,’ Mary and George get into a heated discussion about George’s first sweetheart – all while he’s trying to fix their toilet.

Mary is quickly frustrated by not knowing who the first woman to break George’s heart was, with George reassuring her that they were just kids. When George reveals her name, all hell breaks loose, with Mary implying that the two became friends later in life. George replies that he was 15 years old and she didn’t love him back – but Mary is far from being ready to move on.

With questions surrounding George’s infidelity – and possibly Mary’s – circling ahead of new Young Sheldon Season 7 episodes, some fans have now taken to Reddit with an interesting theory… what if George’s affair was with Kathryn?

“WTF, Kathryn Dempsey??” replied one fan. “And no, nothing about ANY possible future plot point has been confirmed (beyond what’s in any previews for the next episode). That said, it would not be possible for George to cheat on Brenda.”

“It’s my understanding that (unless it comes up this season) the only cheating George has done is emotional cheating with Brenda Sparks, but it’s no more than Mary has done with Pastor Rob,” agreed another.

While plenty of fans recognize that Older Sheldon has clearly remembered some conflicting information, other guesses for George’s mystery woman on the side include Paige’s mom and Paster Jeff’s wife, Robin.

Young Sheldon Season 7 continues on February 22, 2024.