Fiona Harvey, alleged real-life stalker from 'Baby Reindeer,' speaks out: 'I'm the victim'

Baby Reindeer has gotten viewers from around the world binge-watching in one sitting and thinking who the show's stalker, Martha Scott, is based on in real life. Apparently, some fans even took it upon themselves to find the answer to the lingering question.

Baby Reindeer premiered on Netflix on April 11 and has since remained on Netflix's Top 10 chart in several countries as of April 21. It's an autobiographical series written and starred by comedian Richard Gadd inspired by his true-to-life experience of meeting Martha (played by Jessica Gunning) in a bar where he works and being stalked by her relentlessly thereafter.

In the series, Richard depicted Martha as a dangerous stalker who would send barman character Donny Dunn 41,000 emails, 744 tweets, 100 pages of letters, and 350 hours of voicemails for over four years. "Baby Reindeer" is also Martha's term of endearment for the comedian because he reminds her of her favorite toy.

The series draws on events based on Richard's life but it is also a work of fiction, with the writer still keeping Martha's true identity under wraps. Still, cybersleuths rummaged around social media to find the alleged real-life inspiration for the character which, for them, is Fiona Harvey.

Who is Fiona Harvey?

Fiona, according to The Sun, is a 58-year-old lawyer from Aberdeenshire in Scotland. She allegedly met Richard when he was a bartender at The Hawley Arms in London years ago.

On social media, some fans pointed to tweets from @fionaharvey2014, including one referencing a curtain hanging that seemed to be mentioned in a scene from the show. "@MrRichardGadd my curtains need hung badly," the tweet said.

She told The Scottish Sun that she befriended Richard and gave him a pair of "tartan M&S pants" to congratulate him on one of his comedy shows. Despite everything, she said she never stalked him.

"I am very attractive. He's not Brad Pitt," she told the outlet.

'He did ask me out and stalked me'

Fiona uploaded a lengthy Facebook post on April 26 that lambasted social media users who have been accusing her of being Martha and sending her "abusive threats."

In the post, Fiona recalled having met Richard as a "jobbing barman" in The Hawley Arms which she described as "a haven of drink and drugs" and a "horrific joint." However, she insisted that she did not have any relation to him.

"Richard Gadd who is not known to me wrote a show four or five years ago for the festival fringe called Baby Reindeer. It would appear to be popular on Netflix now among twenty-somethings with no brain," Fiona wrote.

"I do not follow the ranting of Richard Gadd or failed comedians like him," she continued. "I have no idea what he's said apart from a few quotes thrown at me this week by other people."

"He seems to have some fat ugly woman called Martha being played by an actress pretending to be me. again, I do not know this actress."

In addition, Fiona claimed that it was Richard who expressed interest in her many years ago instead of the other way around.

"He did ask me out and stalked me years ago," she wrote. "Sorry, I'm not interested. Some people just can't take rejection!"

Fiona also mentioned that her "lawyers will sue" and talked more about it in her interview with The Scottish Sun. 

"I have a claim against Netflix as this is being billed as part of a true story," she told the outlet. "There's a fat actress that's supposed to be me."

The lawyer added that she is planning to defend herself in court rather than tap another legal representative.

She explained, "I’m a highly competent lawyer. I’d have to do it myself. I’m very good. I have a photographic memory and can memorize huge files. I was top in my school at everything."

Not the point of the show

As the issue continues to flare up, Richard likewise called on fans to stop searching who the characters of Baby Reindeer are based on, especially because they are not the reason the show was made.

"People I love, have worked with, and admire… are unfairly getting caught up in speculation," Richard wrote on his Instagram Stories last week. 

"Please don't speculate on who any of the real-life people could be. That's not the point of our show. Lots of love, Richard," he concluded.

Richard also suggested in an interview with The Times that the real-life Martha isn't in jail as he “didn’t want to throw someone who was that level of mentally unwell in prison.”

The comedian didn't report her because he felt that "Martha" was a "victim," too. “I can’t emphasize enough how much of a victim she is in all this,” he told The Independent. “Stalking and harassment is a form of mental illness. It would have been wrong to paint her as a monster, because she’s unwell, and the system’s failed her.”

The comedian also revealed to The Times that they added suspense to the show by putting more drama into some scenes. Still, the main goal of the show is to open its viewers' eyes to abuse and trauma among men.

He explained, "When a man gets stalked, it can be portrayed in films and television as a sexy thing. Like a femme fatale who gradually becomes more sinister. It doesn't carry as much threat of physical violence, is less common, and can be trivialized."

"I was physically scared because I didn't know how far she could take it," he added.

You can watch all seven episodes of Baby Reindeer only on Netflix.