Baby Reindeer sparks surge in calls to stalking hotline by almost 50%-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro

A stalking hotline has received a significant number of calls after the release of Baby Reindeer (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)

Reports of stalking have soared after in the month after the release of Baby Reindeer.

Comedian Richard Gadd’s hit Netflix show tells the ‘real life’ story of his experiences with a stalker called Martha (played by Jessica Gunning), who sends him 41,000 emails – many of which contain lurid details – follows him to comedy gigs, physically and sexually assaults him, before also threatening his family.

The woman who claims to be the real stalker, Scottish lawyer Fiona Harvey, has denied the claims and said she intends to take legal action against Gadd and possibly Netflix.

However, after the show was released on April 11, the number of victims helped by the National Stalking Helpline has risen significantly.

This time last year the helpline received 564 calls, however in 2024 it has received 832, up 47%.

From March to April this year, the increase was 26%.

The Netflix series shares comedian Richard Gadd’s story of being stalked by a woman, played by Jessica Gunning (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)

Within a few days of being released, Baby Reindeer topped the charts on the streaming platform around the world.

The helpline’s policy officer Tallulah Belassie-Page said they had been pleased to see a rise in contacts over the past month as it meant that ‘more victims of stalking are getting the support they need’.

‘Shows like Baby Reindeer do a great job of raising awareness about the crime of stalking, particularly for male victims who may not have felt empowered to reach out and seek support,’ she told The Mirror.

‘We hope this coverage, as well as our ongoing campaigning that started in this year’s National Stalking Awareness Week, means that more victims feel empowered to come forward.’

One male victim who felt compelled to speak out after the show was released, said he was also stalked by a woman while working at a pub, with ‘a good 16 months of my life ruined’.

The show has led many to come forward with their own experiences (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix / Avalon)

After spending the last few years ‘reeling’ from the experience and ‘feeling unbelieved’, he said Gadd’s ‘bravery to dramatise his own experience has normalised my experience and made me feel less alone’.

According to British Crime Survey statistics, five million people experience stalking each year, with 20% of women and 10% of men facing it at some point.

In her interview with Piers Morgan on his Uncensored show last week , Harvey denied ever stalking Gadd, sexually assaulting him or attacking his girlfriend.

She also claimed to be receiving death threats after her identity was unveiled by online sleuths, before saying Gadd was ‘obsessed’ with her and labelling his series as ‘sick’ and ‘misogynistic’.

Baby Reindeer is streaming on Netflix.

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