Real-life ‘Baby Reindeer’ woman complains, says she’s the one being stalked

Netflix's "Baby Reindeer" has been receiving rave reviews across social media. Viewers were shocked by the harrowing stalking experiences Richard Gadd endured in real life. As the show continues to dominate on Netflix, netizens went on a hunt to uncover the real identity of the real-life stalker. 

"Baby Reindeer" follows Gadd's character, Donny Dunn, a struggling comedian who meets a lonely woman at the bar where he works. This chance encounter, marked by a simple offer of a free cup of tea, evolves over several months as Martha's true nature as a dangerous serial stalker is unveiled. Over the course of multiple years, she bombards him with more than 41,000 emails, 744 tweets, 100 pages of letters, and 350 hours of voicemails.

Richard Gadd has urged people not to attempt to identify real-life individuals. However, a woman claiming to be the inspiration for 'Martha' has come forward to reveal that she is getting death threats and abuse from Gadd's supporters.

An unidentified woman told the Daily Mail that she is contemplating legal action for defamation following the release of the Richard Gadd project.

The woman accused Gadd of "bullying an older woman for fame and fortune," adding, "He's using 'Baby Reindeer' to stalk me now. I'm the victim. He's written a show about me."

She has denied to the newspaper that she had been Gadd's stalker, accused him of having "main character syndrome" and disputed aspects of the drama, stating that she never had a toy baby reindeer and that he never had any conversation with Richard Gadd about a childhood toy either. 

While Netflix billed the show as a true story, Gadd previously explained that he couldn't disclose the exact story for legal and artistic reasons, emphasising the need for certain protections. He also urged viewers to stop trying to find the real identity of the successful TV writer who mentored Donny only to exploit him.

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The Netflix drama has over 13 million views since its launch, claiming the number one spot on the streamer's chart in over 30 countries, including the UK and US.