‘Real Baby Reindeer stalker’ blasts show & says ‘there’s a fat actress that’s supposed to be me’
THE woman accused of being the real-life stalker Martha from Netflix smash Baby Reindeer hit out: “There’s a fat actress that’s supposed to be me.”
Fiona Harvey, 58, also blasted claims she pursued fellow Scot Richard Gadd, 34 — who wrote and stars in the TV series — saying: “I am very attractive. He’s not Brad Pitt.”
Now the Aberdeen University law graduate plans to sue the global streaming giant over how she is allegedly portrayed on screen by actress Jessica Gunning, 38.
Ms Harvey told how she will represent herself in any legal action against the US-based broadcaster, vowing: “I will kick their asses.”
Gadd, from Wormit, Fife, based his show on the “true story” of him being hounded by a punter he met while working in a London pub.
But Ms Harvey, of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, revealed she wants a court showdown after Baby Reindeer fans tracked her down and bombarded her with abusive messages.
She told The Scottish Sun: “I have a claim against Netflix as this is being billed as part of a true story.
“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 asses.”
Ms Harvey moved to London more than a decade ago and says she has been working there as a lawyer.
She says she met Gadd when he was a barman in The Hawley Arms, in the city’s Camden district.
But she insists Baby Reindeer’s sinister storyline has affected her life because of online trolls.
The series launched less than two weeks ago but is already the most streamed show on Netflix in the UK and US. Gadd plays a character who is based on himself — a struggling comedian called Donny Dunn.
But a key plotline is how he is relentlessly stalked by a deranged woman named Martha who is a customer in his pub.
He has revealed the show’s title came from a nickname given to him by his obsessed fan.
In the series, Donny is also trying to recover from a sexual assault by Darrien, a top TV executive.
Gadd says the tales are “borrowed from instances” that happened to him and the “real people” he met.
Baby Reindeer started in 2019 as a live show at the Edinburgh Fringe.
It was then snapped up by Netflix and turned into a seven-part black comedy-thriller. Already it has been watched more than 13 million times around the world.
Ms Harvey claimed she remained in contact with Gadd for a short time during his earlier appearances at the capital festival.
And she revealed she sent him a pair of “tartan M&S pants” as a gift to celebrate one of his shows.
But she insisted she has not seen Gadd in around 12 years.
Ms Harvey added: “I read about Baby Reindeer when it came up at the Fringe.
“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.”
Gadd claimed he was sent more than 41,000 emails, 350 hours of voicemails and 106 pages of letters by his stalker.
But this week he pleaded with online sleuths to stop trying to unmask the people behind Baby Reindeer’s characters — after some of his industry pals were targeted with abuse and false allegations.
A man wrongly accused by fans of being the telly boss who raped the writer had to call in cops after threats were made against him.
And police have confirmed they are investigating after vile messages were posted on social media.
Gadd told how he anonymised the real folk behind his characters to protect them. Urging supporters to stop sending abuse, he said: “People I love, have worked with, and admire are unfairly getting caught up in speculation.
“Please don’t speculate on who any of the real-life people could be.
“That is not the point of our show.”
He previously appeared in time-travel drama Outlander and BBC comedy Scot Squad. He has also written for Channel 4’s The Last Leg and Netflix’s Sex Education.
Netflix has been approached for comment.