Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault and rape which some readers may find distressing
Richard Gadd has spoken out about a heartbreaking scene in the finale of his series Baby Reindeer.
The series dropped on Netflix earlier this month and has been wedged in the top spot pretty much ever since.
Advert
It's based on true events lived by comedian Richard Gadd, who ended up being relentlessly harassed by a stalker, who is given the name 'Martha' in the Netflix show.
The show focuses on how it all unfolded, including everything that led up to Martha's obsession - and the alarming events that followed.
The pair first meet after Richard's character, Donny, offers Martha a cup of tea. She becomes obsessed with the possibility that there's a connection between them and ends up getting her hands on his contact information.
Soon, she begins bombarding him with increasingly-terrifying messages, all through the day and night.
Advert
In total, Martha sent 41,071 emails, 350 hours of voicemail, 744 tweets, 46 Facebook messages and 106 pages of letters.
While Donny is grappling with how to handle the situation with Martha, he is also struggling with his own personal trauma.
In the series, we learn that when Donny was starting out in his comedy career, he meets a man named Darrien, who is a TV producer.
Advert
He ends up going to Darrien's house, but is drugged and sexually abused while there.
At the end of the series, following Martha's arrest, Donny goes to see Darrien,
who offers him paid TV work.
Speaking about the scene, Gadd discusses how 'truthful' the scene was and the complicated elements of abuse which can sometimes see a victim's attachment to their abuser.
Advert
"I think that was almost the most truthful scene of the entire show," Gadd told GQ.
"What abuse does is it creates psychological damage as well as physical damage… Abuse leaves an imprint. Especially abuse like this, where it’s repeated with promises.
"There’s a pattern where a lot of people who have been abused feel like they need their abusers.
"I don’t think it was a cynical ending, it was showing an element of abuse that hadn’t been seen on television before, which is, unfortunately, the deeply entrenched, negative, psychological effects of attachment you can sometimes have with your abuser."
If you're yet to watch Baby Reindeer you can catch it on Netflix now.
Advert
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays
Topics: TV and Film, Netflix, Baby Reindeer
Lucy Devine