Since its Netflix debut on 11 April, limited series Baby Reindeer has climbed the charts to become the number one show in the UK.
The series follows aspiring comedian Donny Dunn (played by actor Richard Gadd) as he battles through an ordeal with his stalker, Martha (played by Jessica Gunning). Walking the lines between light and dark, the psychological drama follows Martha as she wreaks havoc in Donny’s life – who she nicknames her Baby Reindeer.
Even more chilling than the show itself is the fact that Baby Reindeer is based on a true story. Initially beginning as a one-man show at Edinburgh Fringe back in 2019, the show is based off of Richard Gadd's real-life experience with a stalker.
And viewers were quick to praise Richard for addressing the reality of living with a stalker.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), one viewer dubbed the show 'the best thing I've watched on TV for years,' adding, 'Absolutely insane, so much happens, and the fact it is a true story played by the REAL man?! I don't know how he was able to put himself in the place he was to make this.'
Another viewer agreed, 'From the minute it starts to the very end, I was truly captivated. It was triggering, uncomfortable, awkward and hilarious at times. A masterpiece.'
Although sprinkled with humorous undertones, the root of Baby Reindeer is dark. Far from an easygoing watch, the show comes at a time where stalking and harassment seems a shockingly common occurance in the lives of many. Earlier this year, Netflix released their series Can I Tell You A Secret, following how three women found themselves victims of digital stalking. In 2021, the Met Police reported a stark rise in stalking cases – citing more than ‘1,000 cases per month, compared with 200 cases per month prior to April 2020.’
With an outpouring of support from concerned viewers, Richard took to Instagram to insist he was 'doing okay.' 'Thanks to everyone for tuning in and making this possible, and for all of your lovely comments too,' he wrote, adding, 'I am okay, for those asking. I promise.'
As more and more people sit down to watch Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer, here's everything to know about the show - including how much of it is true, and what happened to the real Martha.
Is Netflix's Baby Reindeer based on a true story?
Although small parts of Baby Reindeer have been tweaked and dramatised for TV, the basis of the show is true.
As echoed in Donny's story, Richard’s ordeal began while he was in his 20s and living in Fife, Scotland. While working at a pub, Richard offered a ‘crying stranger a cup of tea.' That stranger happened to be Martha, who would go on to become his stalker.
Nicknaming Richard her 'Baby Reindeer,' Martha’s obsession grew to unhealthy levels. She began creeping into all corners of his life: following him around, turning up at his gigs, spending whole days at his work, and even waiting outside of his home. Addressing when the stalking began, Richard revealed in 2019, ‘I certainly egged the situation on before I realised that it was as dangerous as it was. I behaved like a prick at times.’
Martha would go on to send Richard more than 41,000 emails, 350 hours of voicemail, 744 tweets, 46 Facebook messages, and 106 pages of letters. The declarations of love didn’t stop there, with Martha also gifting him items including sleeping pills, a woolly hat, boxer shorts and a stuffed reindeer toy.
Netflix have also confirmed that every single email shown in the series, often littered with spelling mistakes and graphic in nature, was a real message sent from Martha to Richard.
Two and a half years after their meeting, Richard filed a restraining order against Martha. Undeterred, the harassment continued - affecting not just Richard, but his friends and family.
But while the show is an eerie cross between fiction and reality, Richard has insisted that the story is based on an ‘emotional truth,’ rather than a ‘fact-by-fact profile of someone.’
Who are the cast of Netflix's Baby Reindeer?
Alongside Richard Gadd as Donny Dunn and Jessica Gunning as Martha, the series also features an array of other well known names.
They’re joined by Danny Kirrane (Wasted), Hugh Coles (The Festival), Michael Wildman (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Thomas Coombes (Boiling Point).
Who does Nava Mau play in Netflix's Baby Reindeer?
Another star of the series who is fast garnering praise is actress Nava Mau. 31 year old Nava appears in the show as a trans woman named Teri, who like Donny and Martha, is based on someone that Richard knew in real life.
Nava – who is an up-and-coming trans actress herself – has openly praised the show, saying, 'When I read [the script], I could tell that Richard really loved her, whoever inspired this character.'
'I think I knew that it was based on real life and it seemed really important to show people that trans women exist in real life and in relationships with real people. I could see Richard's heart in the writing and I hope that people will see it too.'
Nava - who was born in Mexico City - also shared that the role of American therapist Teri initially interested her because it was written 'by someone who had actually known and loved a trans woman, and wasn't writing from a place of imagination.' Richard has previously opened up about the real life inspiration behind Teri, saying she was 'the voice of reason in my life at that point.'
Prior to starring in Baby Reindeer, up-and-coming actress Nava has appeared in HBO's comedy drama Generation as Anna. She's also worked behind the scenes as a production assistant on Netflix documentary Disclosure, which analysed 'Hollywood's impact on the trans community.'
Who is the real Martha from Baby Reindeer?
Although based on his true experiences, names and identities of characters have been changed in Baby Reindeer. Martha's real stalker was not actually called Martha - and as of yet, he has not revealed her real name and identity.
In fact, the star has gone to great lengths to keep the identity of the real Martha hidden. Despite the years of trauma, Richard told The Independent in 2019 that his stalker's story was one of a ‘failed system.’
‘I can’t emphasise enough how much of a victim she is in all this,’ he said. ‘Stalking and harassment is a form of mental illness. It would have been wrong to paint her as a monster, because she’s unwell, and the system’s failed her.’
Speaking to Radio Times ahead of the show’s launch on Netflix, Richard once again insisted that he wasn’t the only victim. He explained, ‘When I was getting stalked… I saw someone who was unwell, needed help, was quite vulnerable. Stalking is a mental illness and it comes from some sort of fantasy addiction of some kind, this idea that this person is the answer to all your problems, so you’ll only hear what you want to hear, disregard the rest.'
What happened to Richard Gadd's stalker?
While the fictional Martha was handed a prison sentence for her offences, Richard has not addressed the fate of his own stalker, except to confirm that the issue was resolved.
When asked whether the release of the show might increase his stalker’s obsessive behaviours, Richard told GQ, ‘I have to admit that it hasn’t. Maybe seeing this in the press has made her think twice about her behaviour.’
‘We’ve gone to such great lengths to disguise her to the point that I don’t think she would recognise herself.’
Did Richard Gadd go to the police?
Across Baby Reindeer's seven episodes, Richard doesn’t shy away from how difficult it was to report his stalking. In previous interviews, the actor noted that it was ‘years’ before police took his reports seriously - a story that is sadly all too familiar.
Police told Richard at the time that they would not be able to intervene until such point his stalker became physically violent. In the end, Richard endured six years of stalking before they finally stepped in.
It’s also undeniable that the gender dynamic seemed to complicate things. As hinted by Richard, officers were initially amused by the idea that Richard could feel threatened by a woman.
Previously speaking to The Guardian, Richard shared, ‘I was getting told off for harassing the police about being harassed. I’ve been through two police investigations in my life and they’ve both been hilarious, fly-on-the-wall terrible. Honestly, my advice to someone who ever thought of pressing charged would be: It’s a f*cking nightmare process, and it takes years.’
Prepping for his Netflix role, Richard also revealed that he lost weight to match his own 10-and-a-half-stone ‘neurotic’ self that existed at the height of Martha's stalking. In the years since, Richard has said that he’s tried ‘every therapy going’ to overcome 'something like PTSD.'
How do I watch Baby Reindeer?
You can watch Baby Reindeer by heading over to Netflix, where the limited series currently sits in the show’s top 10. For a taster of the show, watch the trailer below.
Baby Reindeer is available to stream on Netflix. Anyone affected by Richard's story can find support at Victim Support or the National Stalking Helpline.
Charlotte Roberts is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia, writing interviews and features around everything pop culture.