Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Baby Reindeer, Netflix, TV and Film, Crime
Lucy Devine
A lawyer has issued a warning after Baby Reindeer viewers tried to track down the real-life Martha online.
Ever since the Netflix show aired earlier this month, internet sleuths have been determined to uncover the true identity of Richard Gadd's stalker - who in the show is named Martha and is played by Jessica Gunning.
It's become so severe that even the police have been involved.
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Baby Reindeer is based on true events lived by the comedian, who ended up being relentlessly harassed by a stalker for years.
In the show, we see how it all unfolded, including everything that led up to Martha's obsession - and the alarming events that followed.
But with the show being heavily based on facts, some viewers have been desperately trying to unveil some of the real-life people behind the case.
Despite Gadd himself explaining that creators had altered Martha's identity to the point where she probably wouldn't even recognise herself, it hasn't stopped the sleuths from going down a serious rabbit hole looking.
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And it's not just Martha. Viewers have also been looking for the real-life Darrien, a TV producer who sexually abused Donny (Gadd's character) at the start of his career.
The incessant search for 'Darrien' has even led to a police investigation being launched, after actor and director Sean Foley was wrongly accused online.
Now, one lawyer has spoken about the ramifications of wrongly accusing people of such serious crimes - and warned viewers why they really shouldn't be looking for the real-life people involved in the case.
Mark Woloshak, Head of Litigation at Howells Solicitors told LADbible: "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.
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"In the case of Baby Reindeer, where real-life events are portrayed, it is important to recognise the delicate balance the programme makers are treading between storytelling and real-world consequences.
"The portrayal of characters in a fictionalised 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."
Woloshak explained that those who do end up wrongly accused may end up seeking damages.
"However, the damage caused by false accusations and online harassment can extend beyond legal remedies, affecting individuals' personal and professional lives irreparably," he added.
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"In light of these considerations, it is imperative for viewers and the public alike to respect the boundaries between fiction and reality, and to approach discussions surrounding true-life events with sensitivity and caution.
"Ultimately, the pursuit of truth should never come at the expense of innocent individuals' well-being and rights."
Following the accusations, Gadd himself has issued a statement urging people not to go looking.
“Hi everyone, people I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Please don’t speculate on who any of the real-life people could be. That’s not the point of our show. Lots of love, Richard xx.”
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And Foley himself has spoken out, explaining that he has involved the police due to 'defamatory, abusive and threatening posts' that have been sent his way.
He wrote on X: "Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me."
We reached out to West Midlands Police, who told us: "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."
You can watch Baby Reindeer on Netflix now.
Alternatively, 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.