John Nicolson, a Scottish MP, has stated his intention to approach Netflix concerning startling allegations raised by the popular drama series ‘Baby Reindeer’.
‘Baby Reindeer’ provides an insight into the life of comedian Richard Gadd, positing itself as a ‘true story’. Dramatising Gadd’s struggle against a persistent female stalker and various traumatic episodes, the show has accumulated a massive viewership, with Deadline citing 674 million viewed minutes.
Nicolson, a critical voice against Netflix’s handling of the show, has expressed doubts over the streaming giant’s claims to the Culture Media and Sport Committee the previous week.
His scepticism stemmed from Netflix executive Benjamin King’s statement that ‘Baby Reindeer’ was an “undeniable depiction of the horrendous mistreatment Richard Gadd, the narrative’s main character, endured from a convicted stalker”. By knowingly misleading a committee, one is in violation of Parliament’s rules as mentioned in a BBC report.
(Image: Ed Miller/Netflix)
In conversation with the BBC about the issue, the SNP Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport aired his reservations: “the evidence submitted by Netflix to the select committee is debatable” he stated.
He also took issue with the baseless claims of a conviction, stressing its importance and noting the lack of evidence backing Netflix’s assertion.
Nicolson revealed his plans to write to Netflix, calling for the validation of the claims in question.
The series depicts Fiona Harvey, who inspired the character ‘Martha’, one of the show’s principal antagonists. Netflix, the series creator, and Gadd, have neither confirmed nor denied this identification.
A staunch critic of the portrayal, Harvey has publicly denied allegations of stalking and having any convictions for the same against her. She even made an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored to share that she has received threats on her life following the series’ airing.
Her appearance on the show earned a fee of £250, although she expressed her expectation to receive a sum of £1 million, which was swiftly refuted by Morgan.
To date, no evidence has surfaced to confirm claims of her conviction. It was reported that a lawyer filed a writ against Harvey, alleging harassment over two decades ago in a court in Glasgow. Harvey vehemently denied such accusations, insisting that the matter subsided without any proceedings.
Awareness has been raised that the 58-year-old was issued a Primary Instigation Harassment warning by the Met Police following her interactions with Gadd.
Since the surrounding controversy came to light, Netflix has limited their communication on the matter to their testimony to the Committee.
Harvey is reportedly planning to seek legal redress against Netflix for misrepresentation. She is engaging with highly acclaimed UK lawyer Chris Daw KC, renowned for representing figures such as Ryan Giggs and Kenneth Noye.
Pledging his support to Harvey, Daw acknowledged that a case against Netflix for defamation relating to the character purportedly inspired by Harvey in ‘Baby Reindeer’ would be pursued.
Regardless of the controversial allegations and Netflix’s silence on the matter, the Glasgow-born comedian’s dramatisation continues to relay the story of Gadd and his encounters with a female stalker. Only time will tell where the truth truly lies.
