In a recent appearance on ITV’s Lorraine, Piers Morgan criticized Netflix for allegedly failing Fiona Harvey, the woman believed to be the inspiration for the stalker character in the show Baby Reindeer. Harvey denies the claims made in the show, including sending thousands of emails and voicemails to the creator, Richard Gadd. The show, billed as a true story, is considered a work of fiction by Harvey. Despite criticism for interviewing Harvey on his YouTube channel, Morgan defended his decision, claiming that he wanted viewers and pointing out that Harvey was paid £250 ($313) for the appearance and is seeking further compensation.
After the interview, Harvey claimed she was offered £250 and plans to seek more compensation, stating that she would even settle for a million pounds. Morgan responded by stating that Harvey will not receive such a large sum, although her demands for a million pounds could lead to the show being shut down if Netflix does not comply. He mentioned that they paid for her to have a haircut, a car, and other expenses and stayed in touch with her after the interview. Harvey is seeking the same amount of money from Netflix, threatening that politicians will shut the show down if she doesn’t receive £1 million.
Richard Gadd, the creator of Baby Reindeer, spoke out in a recent interview, emphasizing that the show exists in a fictional realm and is not meant to identify real-life individuals who inspired the characters. He did not want the real-life people to be found and stated that he would not comment on it further. Gadd previously defended director Sean Foley amid speculation that he inspired a plotline about sexual abuse, asking fans not to speculate about the real-life people behind the characters in the show.
Overall, Fiona Harvey, Piers Morgan, and Richard Gadd are embroiled in a controversy surrounding the inspiration for the character of Martha in the show Baby Reindeer. Harvey denies the claims made in the show and is seeking compensation for her portrayal. Morgan faced criticism for his decision to interview Harvey, but he defended his actions and the compensation given to her. Gadd clarified that the show is fictional and not meant to identify real-life individuals. The situation remains ongoing as Harvey seeks further compensation from both Morgan and Netflix.
