Richard Gadd has insisted he won't "comment" on the real-life identities of the characters in his hit show 'Baby Reindeer' "ever again".
Richard Gadd has insisted he won't 'ever comment' on the real-life identities of the characters in his hit show Baby Reindeer
The 35-year-old actor plays a struggling comedian and barman named Donny, who is stalked by a woman he meets at work called Martha, which reflects Richard’s real-life stalking ordeal.
Following the broadcast of the Netflix show, internet sleuths have tried to discover the real-life identities of the characters, but Richard has insisted he "would've made it a documentary" if he had wanted them to be found.
He told The Hollywood Reporter: "I don’t agree with the sleuth thing.
"I’ve put out a statement publicly saying I want the show to be received as a piece of art, and I want the show to people to enjoy as a piece of art. I’m called Donny Dunn.
"It exists in a sort of fictional realm, even though it’s based on truth, it exists in a fictional realm, let’s enjoy the world that I’ve created.
"If I wanted the real life people to be found, I would’ve made it a documentary.
"I’ve spoken publicly about how I don’t want people to do it and if I start playing a game of whack-a-mole, then I’m almost adding to it. I don’t think I’ll ever comment on it ever again."
Richard insisted he cannot comment on internet speculation surrounding the real-life identities of the show's characters.
He added: "I can’t confirm or deny anything relating to the real-life people who the characters are based on in the show.
"I know for every single part, there’s been about five or six people who have been sort of named as each part, even all the way down to the pub manager.
"The internet’s always going to do its thing. I can’t really comment on that.
"There was a video the other day of someone had sent me of someone claiming to be Teri. I’d never met them before in my life.
"The internet just does this thing and I just have to let it do its thing. And that’s that."
Richard recently took to Instagram to plead with fans of the programme to stop trying to find the real-life identities of the 'Baby Reindeer' characters.
He wrote: "People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation.
"Please don't speculate on who any of the real life people could be. That's not the point of our show."
Scottish lawyer Fiona Harvey was uncovered as the "real-life Martha" from the show - which is billed as a "true story" - and she has now threatened to sue the streamer.
Speaking on 'Piers Morgan Uncensored', she said: "I find it quite obscene. I find it horrifying, misogynistic.
"Some of the death threats have been really terrible online. People phoning me up. You know, it’s been absolutely horrendous."
Netflix has stood by 'Baby Reindeer', stating it was a "true story" and that it took "every reasonable precaution in disguising the real-life identities of the people involved".