Richard Gadd, creator and writer of the Netflix series Baby Reindeer, has responded to a $170 million lawsuit filed by Fiona Harvey. Harvey is believed to be the inspiration behind the character of Martha in the show, which tells the story of Gadd’s experience being relentlessly stalked by an older woman. Harvey has accused Netflix of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence, among other charges, claiming that the series is not based on reality and that Gadd and Netflix destroyed her reputation and life. She is seeking damages of at least $170 million. A Netflix spokesperson has said the company plans to defend itself and support Gadd’s right to tell his story.
In a 21-page document filed in a California court on July 29, Gadd detailed the stalking, harassment, abuse, and threats he experienced from Harvey between 2014 and 2017. He denied that the show represented actual facts or real people, calling it a “fictionalized retelling of my emotional journey through several extremely traumatic real experiences.” He said the show was based on a stage production he performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019, which was not an attempt at realism but a dramatization of events and emotions. He added that the show was “emotionally true” but not a “beat-by-beat recounting” of his experiences.
Gadd alleged that Harvey often attempted to touch him inappropriately, ignored his requests to stop, and sent him “sexually explicit, violent” messages that contained “derogatory content, hateful speech, and threats.” He reported Harvey to the police in 2016 after receiving thousands of emails, hundreds of voicemails, and several handwritten letters. A First Instance Harassment Warning was issued against her in May 2016, after which the emails and voicemails ceased. Gadd claimed to have received a handwritten letter with underwear inside from her in August 2017. He said the cumulative effect of her actions was enormous and exhausting and that Harvey’s stalking “often left me feeling deeply frightened, unsafe, and at times suicidal.”
Harvey has denied many aspects of the story, including being a stalker, sending Gadd 41,000 emails, hundreds of voice messages, and over 100 letters. She asserted that the show is not based on reality and claimed that she has never been charged with a crime or convicted of stalking. She wrote that the media firestorm around the show and her identification as the “real Martha” have caused “untold damage” to her health, reputation, job prospects, and ability to make decisions about her welfare. She said the media coverage continues to bombard her with daily calls seeking comment on stories of every possible kind.
The lawsuit is ongoing, and both Gadd and Netflix maintain their innocence. The case raises important questions about the boundaries between fact and fiction, the responsibility of creators and platforms to accurately represent real people and events, and the impact of media portrayals on individuals’ lives
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