Netflix has made a rare comment on the Baby Reindeer scandal after being sued by the “real Martha” – and has subtly hit out at controversy surrounding her alleged depiction in the show. It was revealed on Thursday (6 June) that Scottish law graduate Fiona Harvey, who believes she inspired the character played by Jessica Gunning in Richard Gadd’s hit series, was suing Netflix for $50m (£39m) . The development comes after Harvey spoke about her alleged depiction while being controversially interviewed by Piers Morgan last month.
Netflix has come under fire since the hugely successful biographical series , written by and starring comedian Gadd , was released on 11 April, with many questioning the effectiveness of the streaming service’s safeguarding protocols. As more and more armchair detectives attempted to find the real-life figures who inspired the series, the otherwise acclaimed Baby Reindeer received a backlash, with many asking whether more safeguarding measures could have been enacted to prevent viewers from being able to identify them. The series follows struggling comic Donny Dunn (Gadd) as he is relentlessly harassed and stalked by Martha Scott (Jessica Gunning) for more than four years and, since the show’s premiere, it has become a word-of-mouth sensation.
As the show rose up the service’s most-watched charts, viewers attempted to discover the real-life inspirations behind the show’s controversial characters, including Martha, in a move that Gadd hi.
