Richard Gadd’s popular dark comedy show Baby Reindeer has claimed immense popularity hitting Netflix’s top chart for quite a while. However, following the release, controversies surrounded the show as the ‘real Martha’ was seemingly identified. While the show was advertised as based on a true story, a judge has recently given a verdict on the show saying that the streaming giant was not completely honest with the viewers.
Baby Reindeer Received A New Verdict From A Judge
Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning. Image Credit: Netflix
Netflix’s Baby Reindeer follows Richard Gadd’s character Donny— a struggling stand-up comedian and bartender. He meets Martha while working at the Hawley Arms. As their connection grows, Martha often visits the bar to see him and floods his inbox with numerous emails and texts.
The show displayed these messages on screen, which viewers found were similar to Tweets posted at the same time by a woman named Fiona Harvey. But when Harvey talked to the press about it, she claimed that whatever was shown in the show was not entirely true. She even filed a lawsuit against Netflix for inaccurate descriptions of her while the show labeled the narrative as “based on a true story.”
Now, in a verdict, Judge Gary Klausner has ruled on the case that has received wide attention. “There is a major difference between stalking and being convicted of stalking in a court of law,” the Judge said (via Far Out Magazine).
“Likewise, there are major differences between inappropriate touching and sexual assault, as well as between shoving and gouging another’s eyes. While plaintiff’s purported actions are reprehensible, Defendants’ statements are of a worse degree and could produce a different effect in the mind of a viewer.”
The judge went on to add, “The series states that Plaintiff is a convicted criminal who sexually and violently assaulted Gadd. These statements may rise to the level of extreme and outrageous conduct.”
As per Harvey, she did not end up in prison as the show depicted Martha’s character.
Piers Morgan’s Interview On ‘Real Life Martha’ Gave The Story A New Perspective
Fiona Harvey. Image Credit: Piers Morgan Uncensored/TalkTV/PA
It all changed when Fiona Harvey decided to sit down for a chat with acclaimed broadcaster Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored. Harvey claimed that the show “is just complete nonsense” as the series shows that Martha sent Donny 41,000 emails and left 350 hours of voicemails.
“That’s simply not true. If somebody was sending somebody 41,000 emails or something, they’d be doing how many a day? Lots. None of that’s true. I don’t think I sent him anything … No, I think there may have been a couple of emails exchanged, but that was it. Just jokey banter emails.”
Harvey admitted there “may have been a couple of emails” but denied sending Gadd texts or Facebook messages, though she acknowledged posting “about 18 tweets.”
She said she “never got the impression” that Gadd felt sorry for her, but rather thought “he was all out for himself.” Harvey firmly denied stalking Gadd or his parents and insisted she never physically assaulted his ex-girlfriend. Her lawyer mentioned that she had “given Gadd the brush off,” and she claimed that he had “asked me to sleep with him.”
“I think he’s psychotic. And I think that anyone going along, being in that play and doing this to somebody, I find that I find the behavior outrageous,” she said on the show. “Leave me alone, please. Get a life, get a proper job, I am horrified at what you’ve done,” she added in the final message directed at Gadd.
Baby Reindeer was created by Richard Gadd. The series also stars Jessica Gunning as Martha Scott and Nava Mau as Teresa “Teri.” Nominated for 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, the series has won a stunning six Emmys Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Outstanding Writing for Gadd, Outstanding Lead Actor for Gadd, and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Gunning.
Baby Reindeer is now streaming on Netflix.
