Netflix confirms real-life figure behind 'Baby Reindeer' character Martha was not convicted stalker

The streaming service acknowledged that Fiona Harvey was not a convicted criminal amidst her defamation lawsuit.

Netflix has confirmed that Fiona Harvey, the real-life figure on whom the character Martha in the series Baby Reindeer is based, was never convicted of stalking. 

This acknowledgment came in a letter addressed to the British Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which clarified that Harvey was not legally recognised as a stalker, despite the series' promotion as "a true story," according to Deadline.

The admission follows Netflix's UK senior public policy director, Benjamin King, appearing before the committee in May. At that time, King had described Baby Reindeer as a “true story of the horrific abuse” suffered by Richard Gadd at the hands of a convicted stalker. 

The committee's request for proof of Harvey’s conviction led King to issue a correction. “I wanted to clarify our understanding that the person on whom the show is based — who we have at no point sought to identify — was subject to a court order rather than a conviction,” King explained in the letter.

Netflix spokesperson commented, "The letter was sent to the DCMS Select Committee on 23 May, well before any legal case was filed, and has been publicly available since. It does not impact our legal position."

Harvey's legal team condemned Netflix's actions. In a statement, Harvey’s attorney claimed, “It is nothing short of remarkable that Netflix sent a formal letter to Parliament informing it that Baby Reindeer was based on Fiona Harvey and yet Gadd stated, in a sworn affidavit under oath submitted by Netflix to the United States Court that ‘I did not write the Series as a representation of actual facts about any real person, including Fiona Harvey.' 

In the end, it appears that either Netflix submitted a false letter to Parliament or a false declaration to a US District Court. Its conduct is reprehensible.”

Released in April 2024, Baby Reindeer is based on Gadd’s reported experiences. The series depicts Martha, based on Harvey, as an obsessive stalker who inundates Gadd’s character with countless messages over several years. 

Harvey has sued Netflix for over $170 million, alleging defamation and harm to her reputation. She also claims the series portrayed her in a damaging light, asserting that the depiction has led to harassment and significant damage to her personal and professional life.

In response, Gadd submitted a 20-page declaration supporting Netflix’s bid to dismiss Harvey's defamation lawsuit. He maintained, “While the Series is my emotionally true story as I recall and recount, it is not intended to depict any real persons.” 

Gadd asserted that the characters were fictionalised and that any resemblance to real individuals was unintended.