Richard Gadd, the creator and star of Netflix's hit series Baby Reindeer, has revealed that he was confronted by a member of the public while doing the school run. The incident occurred after the show's release, which has been viewed by millions worldwide.
Gadd, who based the series on his own experiences of being stalked and sexually abused, said the encounter left him feeling 'windswept' by the show's rapid success. The series, which debuted last week, has become the number one TV show on Netflix in both the US and UK, with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%.
The show follows Donny, a character played by Gadd, who is stalked by a woman named Martha. In real life, Gadd was stalked by a woman two decades his senior, who sent him hundreds of emails daily and disrupted his comedy gigs. The series also addresses Gadd's experience of being raped by a manipulative older man earlier in his career.
Gadd has changed names and identifying details in the series to protect those involved, but insists it is 'emotionally true'. He said: 'I was severely stalked and severely abused. But we wanted it to exist in the sphere of art, as well as protect the people it's based on.'
The show's success has been described by Gadd as 'like lightning in a bottle', resonating with audiences due to its exploration of online overfamiliarity and the blurred lines between virtual and physical threats.
