Lawyer Shares Which Scenes from Baby Reindeer Should Have Been Cut to Protect Real-Life Martha

A lawyer has disclosed which scenes from Baby Reindeer should have been omitted by Netflix in order to safeguard the identity of the ‘real’ Martha.

Richard Gadd’s successful Netflix series, Baby Reindeer, is a dramatization of the comedian’s personal experience with a stalker named Martha and an assault by a well-known comedy agent.

Despite the changes made to the names and appearances of the characters in the drama series, it didn’t take long for viewers to speculate about their real-life counterparts. An online search revealed that a Scottish woman, believed to be the inspiration for the character ‘Martha’, was invited onto Piers Morgan’s Uncensored YouTube channel.

Gateley Legal’s lawyer Rory Lynch, an expert in defamation and privacy, responded to the controversial interview between journalist and Netflix creator Richard Gadd, stating that more could have been done by both Gadd and Netflix to protect the identity of the convicted stalker. Lynch’s comments were reported by Mail Online.

The lawyer recommended that Jessica Gunning, who played the role of Martha, could have safeguarded the woman’s identity by altering her accent. He also proposed that the casting directors could have made Martha a different gender to make it harder to identify her.

Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning in Baby Reindeer — Netflix

“Lynch suggested a different approach, such as having a male as the stalker instead of a female, in order to make the character stand out. She also proposed more significant changes to the story, given the numerous similarities already present.”

He suggested, “To effectively convey the story, it would be best to stray away from what actually occurred. Instead of having a Scottish character who is a lawyer with a bar in London, consider setting it in a library in Manchester or a similar location.”

The lawyer expressed worries about the possibility of privacy concerns arising from the portrayal of Gadd’s stalker in the show. Nevertheless, he had faith that Gadd’s legal counsel would have been reasonably sure of the show’s legal approval, considering it is presented as a work of fiction rather than a factual account.

In April, Fiona Harvey, also known as the ‘real-life Martha’, announced her intention to sue both Netflix and Gadd for defamation. On May 21, she stated that her legal battle would be the most high-profile case of the century.