Dark comedy series Baby Reindeer was awash with prizes at award ceremonies last year, but has more recently hit the headlines for its “based on a true story” claims.
Creator Richard Gadd’s Netflix show, about a comedian and barman who is stalked by an older woman after he offers her a cup of tea at the pub where he works, is up for best TV limited series at the Golden Globes.
Scottish comedian, actor and writer Gadd is also nominated for best actor in a limited series at the awards show, which is held on Sunday, for playing Donny Dunn, with co-star Jessica Gunning (Martha Scott) nominated for best supporting actress in a TV series.
His show, inspired by his real-life experiences, won big at the Emmys, taking home six prizes, three of them for writing, producing and starring in the series, and one gong for Gunning for best supporting actress in a limited or anthology series.
Gadd also collected prizes at the Gotham TV Awards, Television Critics Association Awards and the Astra TV Awards last year.
However, despite the show’s critical and commercial success, becoming one of the biggest shows on Netflix in 2024, it has not been without controversy.
We take a look at these issues below.
– The lawsuit
The seven-part series, released in April with an opening sequence saying “this is a true story”, prompted Fiona Harvey to come forward claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha.
In a statement to the PA news agency in May, Ms Harvey said “Baby Reindeer is not a true story at all” and added: “I am not a convicted stalker.”
She later filed a lawsuit against Netflix saying that the story was inaccurate, and accusing the streaming platform of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, gross negligence and violations of her right of publicity.
Before the lawsuit, Netflix director of public policy, Benjamin King, told MPs in a letter that “the person on whom the show is based” was actually “subject to a court order rather than a conviction”, after first telling the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee that the series details “the horrific abuse that the writer and protagonist Richard Gadd suffered at the hands of a convicted stalker”.
Mr King also told MPs: “The writer of Baby Reindeer endured serious harassment over many months (as it now seems has been the case for many others), which had a significant impact on his wellbeing.”
The streamer, which is seeking to have the case thrown out, says that every episode includes a warning saying: “This programme is based on real events: however, certain characters, names, incidents, locations and dialogue have been fictionalised for dramatic purposes.”
Despite the 170 million dollar (£129 million) lawsuit, Netflix said in September that it had signed a new deal with Gadd.
– Who is Richard Gadd?
Fife comedian Gadd, 35, went to Madras College in St Andrews, where he performed in a school production of Macbeth in 2005, before going on to study at the University of Glasgow.
His show Monkey See Monkey Do took home the 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Awards best comedy show prize, which goes to the stand-out Edinburgh Festival Fringe act.
He was the first Scot to be nominated for the prestigious prize in 23 years.
Gadd also appeared in E4 comedy science fiction Tripped in 2015 alongside The Inbetweeners actor Blake Harrison, and won an Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in affiliate theatre for Baby Reindeer in 2020.
The story, Baby Reindeer, had originally been an Edinburgh Fringe production before becoming a global sensation on Netflix.
– What’s next?
His next project will be with the BBC and HBO, about two estranged brothers, one played by Gadd and another by Billy Elliot actor Jamie Bell.
Bell plays Niall opposite Gadd as Ruben, who shows up unexpectedly at his brother’s wedding, sparking an “explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives”, in Half Man, which will air in 2026.
