Fiona Harvey Mega Agency
The so-called “Real Martha” has spoken out.
Fiona Harvey, the woman alleged to be the real-life version of the stalker Martha in the Netflix series Baby Reindeer, appeared on Piers Morgan: Uncensored on Thursday, May 9, for her first on-air interview since the show’s debut.
While she was not always consistent with the details of her contact with series creator Richard Gadd, she was clear that she believes Gadd’s depiction of her is “a work of fiction.”
Harvey, 58, claimed she has been the target of death threats and harassment since internet sleuths figured out she was the person that allegedly inspired the character of Martha (played by Jessica Gunning).
Baby Reindeer fans are obsessed with identifying the real-life people who inspired the hit Netflix series, but the show’s creators have advised against making one-to-one comparisons. Baby Reindeer stars Richard Gadd and is based on his one-man autobiographical show of the same name. It details his past experience with a female stalker and a male […]
Baby Reindeer, which is based on Gadd’s real life, tells the story of aspiring comedian Donny Dunn (Gadd) dealing with a stalker as well as sexual abuse. Though Gadd urged fans not to try and figure out the true identities of the characters, they did, and Harvey’s life quickly turned upside down.
In the interview with Piers Morgan, Harvey slammed the series, saying the only true elements of it are that the creator’s name is Richard Gadd, Harvey met him and that Gadd once worked at a pub. She denied the show’s claims that she sent Gadd 41,000 emails and 350 hours of voicemails over a four-year period, as well as most of the other key events in the series.
Keep scrolling for the biggest takeaways from Harvey’s 30-minute interview:
Art imitating life. Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Sarah Paulson and more stars made their marks playing real people in movies and TV shows. Many won awards for their onscreen depictions of both beloved and controversial figures throughout history. The American Horror Story actress earned an Emmy for her portrayal of famous prosecutor Marcia Clark in […]
Fiona Harvey Denied Even Having Richard Gadd’s Phone Number
Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the series comes when Donny is so consumed by trying to understand Martha (and ultimately have her arrested) that he begins categorizing every voicemail she sent him, then listens to them on the bus like they’re a long, deranged podcast. Harvey, however, claims that in reality, she never even had Gadd’s phone number.
“He’s crazy and wants to make this up,” Harvey said. “I mean, I’ve not phoned the guy. I don’t have his number.”
She continued, “The only explanation for having a voicemail from me would be [from] taping me in the Hawley Arms. That’s the only place we’ve ever met.”
The Hawley Arms is the pub where Gadd worked and in which Harvey met him in 2014.
Harvey also denied most of the key plot points from the series. That includes contacting Gadd’s parents, stalking him outside his home, sexually assaulting him, going to prison, heckling him at his comedy show and attacking his girlfriend.
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‘Less Than 10 Emails’
Jessica Gunning as Martha Ed Miller/Netflix
Despite saying that she only met Gadd five or six times over a period of a couple months, Harvey admitted that she sent him “a handful” of emails, which she estimated to number fewer than 10, as well as 18 tweets.
“I think there may have been a couple of emails exchanging, but that was it,” she claimed. “Just jokey banter emails.”
Harvey added that she would be willing to have someone inspect her computer to prove that she did not send the 41,000 emails that the show claims she sent.
When Morgan noted that Gadd also accused her of sending him 106 written letters, Harvey denied that as well, saying that she did send one and that if he has any additional letters, that they are forgeries.
Harvey Says Others Warned Her of Richard Gadd
The interview wasn’t just about Harvey being defensive. She also went on the offense, attacking Gadd’s character multiple times, claiming he has “extreme psychiatric problems.” Her harshest accusations were regarding his treatment of women.
“He’s been the ultimate misogynist,” she said, adding that others at the Hawley Arms warned her about Gadd.
“I gave him the brush-off,” she said. “He asked me to sleep with him. … I said, ‘No, I’m sorry, I’m not interested.’ He said, ‘Would I like my curtains fixed?’ And I laughed and he said, ‘That’s a euphemism. You want me to come home with you?’ And I said, ‘I’ve got a boyfriend.’”
The concept of “hanging curtains” was a sexual innuendo that played a prominent role in the series and that Harvey claimed was a running joke around the Hawley Arms.
She then threw another jab at Gadd, saying, “No, I don’t fancy little boys without jobs. That sounds awful. That sounds really, really callous. But, you know.”
While Hollywood may appear to be all glitz and glam on the surface, the industry has seen its fair share of scandals through the years. The New York Times and the New Yorker first published investigative pieces in 2017 that accused disgruntled movie producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual assault and harassment. Soon after, Weinstein stood trial and was […]
Plans to Sue Gadd, Netflix and the Daily Mail
Richard Gadd as Donny, Jessica Gunning as Martha Ed Miller/Netflix
Harvey previously stated she was considering legal action against Gadd and Netflix, though an expert told Us Weekly that she does not have a strong case.
She added in the interview that she also plans to sue the Daily Mail, whom she spoke to anonymously last month. Harvey didn’t specifically outline her allegations against the publication but said she’s targeting “anyone that’s saying this is true and harassing me and that kind of thing.”
“I wouldn’t be suing if I thought there were 41,000 emails out there,” she added.
Netflix has introduced its viewers to many unique TV shows over the years — but not every original series gets to explore their story beyond one season before getting canceled. Julie and the Phantoms developed a quick cult following when it hit the streaming service in September 2020. The musical comedy, which was based on […]
6 Email Addresses and 4 Cell Phones
Harvey admitted to using six different email addresses at the time of her contact with Gadd and said she now has four cell phones — both of which she indicated as normal among her circle of friends.
“Because I like to keep people on different phones and different emails,” she explained, before adding, “Maybe four. I think it’s four to six. Yeah, it’s just easier, it’s easier. So you have some for your utilities, some for close friends, whatever.”
As for the phones, she says two have broken, but there’s purpose behind having a few to begin with.
“I like keeping people on separate phones as well,” she said. “And maybe that makes me a maniac or a stalker or something. But if you’ve got somebody on about your electricity bill or somebody on about some work or something, it’s nice to keep it separate, you know?”
Morgan’s full interview with Harvey can be found on the Piers Morgan: Uncensored YouTube channel.
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Russell Steinberg
