*** This article contains spoilers for Baby Reindeer and contains mentions of sexual abuse *** Baby Reindeer leads to police probe as fans wrongly accuse someone of being Richard Gadd’s abuser
Baby Reindeer has sparked a police investigation after an individual was mistakenly identified by viewers as Richard Gadd’s abuser, leading to a barrage of online abuse and threats.
The Netflix show, which is currently the streaming giant’s most-watched programme, dramatises comedian Richard Gadd’s real-life ordeal with a stalker.
Episode 4 of the seven-part series focuses on Gadd’s harrowing real-life experience of sexual abuse. It shows disturbing depictions of Gadd’s character, Donny, being sexually assaulted by a fictional male TV writer named Darrien, prompting armchair detectives to speculate about the true identity behind the character.
Now, a man wrongfully accused by the audience has reported receiving threatening messages on social media, prompting police action. A spokesperson for the British police stated: “We’re investigating after a man reported receiving threatening messages on social media. Enquiries are at an early stage and we are in the process of gathering information from the victim.”
Gadd himself has called for restraint, asking the public not to guess the real-life inspirations behind the show’s characters. Meanwhile, Netflix has refrained from commenting amidst concerns over whether enough was done to conceal the identities of those portrayed in the drama.
In a recently shared message on his Instagram Stories, Gadd wrote: “People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation. Please don’t speculate on who any of the real life people could be. That’s not the point of our show.”
Director and writer Sean Foley shared a screenshot of Gadd’s Instagram statement with his Twitter (X) followers on Tuesday morning. Foley then went on to write in an additional tweet: “Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me.”
Speaking previously, Baby Reindeer star and creator Gadd explained that characters were made anonymous for legal reasons and to safeguard vulnerable individuals, despite the story being rooted in real-life events and messages. He told Variety: “It’s all emotionally 100% true, if that makes sense.”
“It’s all borrowed from instances that happened to me and real people that I met. But of course, you can’t do the exact truth, for both legal and artistic reasons. I mean there’s certain protections, you can’t just copy somebody else’s life and name and put it onto television. And obviously, we were very aware that some characters in it are vulnerable people, so you don’t want to make their lives more difficult. So you have to change things to protect yourself and protect other people.”
The harrowing backstory of Baby Reindeer stretches back about ten years when Gadd was a rising star in the UK comedy circuit with hits like Breaking Gadd, Waiting for Gaddot, and Monkey See Monkey Do. But behind the curtain of success, Gadd was enduring a personal hell.
An obsessive stalker began tormenting the comic after a seemingly benign gesture offering her a free cup of tea at his job sparked an unyielding campaign of harassment that turned Gadd’s life upside down. “At its peak, it was almost unbearable,” the comedian admitted during an interview with Channel 4.
He recounted how the woman would turn up at his gigs uninvited, pop over to his house unexpectedly, and bombard him with presents such as hats and boxer shorts, not to mention the relentless stream of messages at all hours. “There’s an issue of codependency, of attachment, where this person genuinely believes that the other person is an answer to all of their problems,” he explained to the channel. “I believe that the person who stalked me was a very vulnerable character. I believe she was someone to be sympathised with.”
When Gadd found himself unable to stop her behaviour, he eventually turned to the police in search of some legal remedy. The messages weren’t threatening, but their sheer volume made his life feel like he was suffocating. Sadly, the police were of little help, as they didn’t see the crime as a high priority. This lack of support was partly what spurred Richard to pen ‘Baby Reindeer’. Writing the play and later adapting it into a series served as a kind of therapy for him and shone a light on the grim experiences of those harassed by stalkers.
* If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
