‘At times, the pressure was intolerable’: Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd on paranoia, portraying abuse and the madness of sudden fame

As part of a Bafta TV special, the nominated actor and writer on how his drama went stratospheric virtually overnight, the ‘challenging’ lawsuit that followed, and why he won’t be returning to standup comedy

In the space of a year, Richard Gadd has gone from niche Scottish comedian to global megastar, thanks to the viral success of his autobiographical miniseries Baby Reindeer, documenting his experience of stalking and sexual abuse. Since its release on Netflix in April last year, it has become one of the streamer’s Top 10 most viewed shows of all time, won six Emmys, four Golden Globes, and bagged six TV Bafta nominations.

It has also been mired in controversy: social media sleuths identified Fiona Harvey as the woman depicted as Gadd’s stalker, and she has filed a $170m (£127m) lawsuit against Netflix for defamation. Gadd, 35, is now working on new BBC show Half Man, co-starring Jamie Bell. When we meet in a London hotel, he has the air of a man who is still trying to catch his breath, talking slowly as if still slightly dazed by the whirlwind of the last 12 months.

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