Baby Reindeer: Is Fiona Harvey the real Martha?

Since the release of Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, fans have stopped at nothing to find out the true identity of Richard Gadd’s stalker — but is Fiona Harvey the real Martha?

Baby Reindeer has taken the internet by storm, with the limited series still sitting in the number one spot on the streaming platform’s top 10 chart.

The show follows fledgling comedian Donny (played by Gadd, the show’s creator) who works at a pub alongside gigs, one day taking pity on Martha (Jessica Gunning) by giving her a free cup of tea, resulting in an unrelenting obsession.

As Baby Reindeer has gained popularity, more and more fans have been trying to work out the real-life inspiration for Martha — but who is Fiona Harvey?

Baby Reindeer: Who is Fiona Harvey?

Fiona Harvey is a woman who has been publicly accused of being Richard Gadd’s alleged stalker following the success of Baby Reindeer. She has frequently denied these allegations.

Facebook/Fiona Harvey

The 58-year-old from Fyvie, Aberdeenshire has denied claims of being the real-life Martha to the press and on social media after Baby Reindeer fans uncovered Harvey’s old tweets to Richard Gadd, resembling lines that were used in the show.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Harvey claimed not to know Gadd or be one of his followers, though she alleges that she was aware he worked in London pub The Hawley Arms after moving to the city over a decade ago to work as a lawyer. She also alleges in the post that Gadd “will defame anyone” and “do anything to make money.”

This sentiment was continued in a later post, reading: “Can I just reiterate to Richard Gadd’s followers. I am not Martha. I am Fiona. I have been informed by various different sources this morning that Richard Gadd’s supporters are still attacking me online. I am Nothing to do with his infernal plays. I am Not Martha.

“I don’t fantasise and make up stories. I am however seeing death threats to me and unwelcome posts on my account from Richard Gadd supporters. All of these names and comments from people I don’t know are being sent to police and lawyers.”

Harvey later told The Scottish Sun that she is looking to sue Netflix, claiming to have never stalked Gadd. The same interview suggests that she did attend at least one of Gadd’s comedy shows, gifting him a pair of M&S tartan trousers.

“I have a claim against Netflix as this is being billed as part of a true story,” she explained. “There’s a fat actress that’s supposed to be me. I’m a highly competent lawyer. I’d have to do it myself. I’m very good. I have a photographic memory and can memorise huge files. I was top in my school at everything.

“People are probably saying I’m a mass murderer. This can’t continue. I will kick their a**es.”

Harvey later added: “I read about Baby Reindeer when it came up at the Fringe [in 2019]. He’s come up with this character called Martha and he has put me right in the frame. This is a programme for the 20-somethings. The people with no lives, no jobs, whatever. I don’t want to be a celebrity.”

The Sun later reported that Harvey had also been accused of harassing former Glasgow MP Jimmy Wray during his time in the Labour Party, with his wife Laura claiming that Harvey allegedly harassed her following dismissal from a McPhail Lawrence Partnership in 1997.

Who is the real Martha from Baby Reindeer?

The identity of the real Martha wasn’t revealed before the release of Baby Reindeer on Netflix, nor has it been confirmed since.

Netflix

However, fans have been warned by lawyers that efforts to uncover who the inspiration for Martha might be could land them in legal trouble.

“Seeking out and potentially naming individuals involved in a case, especially if they turn out to be the wrong person, carries significant legal and ethical implications,” Mark Woloshak, the head of litigation at Howells Solicitors, told LADbible.

“In the case of Baby Reindeer, where real-life events are portrayed, it is important to recognize the delicate balance the program makers are treading between storytelling and real-world consequences.

“The portrayal of characters in a fictionalized drama should not result in people seeking to ascertain who the individuals portrayed in that drama are based upon. The frenzy surrounding the attempt to uncover the real identities of individuals depicted in Baby Reindeer would not only cause unwarranted harm to anyone wrongly identified but could also undermine the privacy and safety of individuals who may have no connection to the events portrayed.”

The Daily Record has also released an interview with an unknown woman who claims her life has been destroyed by the same Baby Reindeer allegations.

“I’m the victim here, not Richard Gadd. I’ve had death threats as a result of his show despite the fact that a lot of the things he claimed are just not true,” the woman states.

“Like that Johnny Depp and Amber Heard thing, I feel I’m being persecuted like Johnny Depp. I’m the Johnny Depp in this situation being attacked by crazy people on the internet.”

What has Richard Gadd said?

Richard Gadd hasn’t said anything in relation to fan accusations about the real-life Martha, but he did release a statement in line with false accusations surrounding Sean Foley.

Netflix

Alongside fan-led investigations to find the real-life Martha, Baby Reindeer viewers have also been sharing opinions about who they believe might be the real-life Darrien, a character who sexually abuses Donny in Episode 4.

One of the names targeted — Sean Foley — sparked a police investigation after false accusations were made, tweeting: “Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me.”

Instagram/@mrrichardgadd

This led Gadd to release a statement via Instagram stories, explaining: “People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation. Please don’t speculate on who the real-life people could be. That’s not the point of our show.”

Martha actress Jessica Gunning echoed this to Glamour, adding: “I would urge people not to be doing that. I think if that is happening, I think it’s a real, real shame, because it shows that they haven’t watched the show properly. That’s not the point of it in any way.”

As of writing, no statement has been released specifically relating to the real-life Martha speculation.

Is Baby Reindeer a true story?

Yes, Baby Reindeer is largely based on real events that happened to Richard Gadd, including being stalked.

Netflix

Gadd originally wrote a one-man play based on experiences he had with his own stalker, which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2019. The play was then picked up for adaptation by Netflix.

Speaking to Radio Times, Gadd 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 a sort of fantasy addiction of some kind, this idea that this person is the answer to all your problems, so you’ll hear only what you want to hear, disregard the rest.”

“I hadn’t seen that on television before and I actually think that when I was going through it, I just felt like it was an important story to tell… [and] that was important for people to understand,” he added.

Gadd also elaborates that Baby Reindeer is a blend of fact and fiction, saying the storyline makes changes for “satisfying television production”, including the “shifting around” of timelines, “just to make a little bit more sense”.

In a behind-the-scenes featurette for Netflix, Gadd reveals that he received 41,000 emails, voicemails totalling 350 hours, multiple social media messages and 106 pages of letters.

Find more shows and movies like Baby Reindeer to watch, why Martha types the way she does, and why Netflix shouldn’t take the wrong lessons from its success. You can also check out other new TV shows you should stream this month, and the best TV of 2024 so far.