Piers Morgan says Netflix ‘lied’ about Baby Reindeer stalker drama
Piers Morgan has spoken out about his chat with the “real-life Martha”, the “true story” behind the hit Netflix stalker drama Baby Reindeer and what’s become “problematic” for the streamer.
TV
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Piers Morgan has claimed Netflix may have “lied” about alleged Baby Reindeer stalker Fiona Harvey.
Morgan appeared on British TV on Tuesday local time to discuss his bombshell interview with Fiona Harvey which raked in millions of views around the world.
Internet detectives were quick to track down Fiona and identify her as the inspiration behind the obsessive stalker after Baby Reindeer launched last month. It has since gone on to be the biggest show in the world.
But Harvey widely disputed the events depicted in the Netflix drama during her chat with Morgan saying she is taking legal action against writer and star Richard Gadd and Netflix.
Morgan said that Netflix claiming that the show “is a true story” could be problematic.
He said that although he believes Harvey lied at points during the interview, he hasn’t seen any proof that she’s been convicted of stalking as the character Martha was in the show.
“She has a right to have her say and was happy to come on the show, I tried to be very fair and balanced and tried to get to the truth.
“I think she lied in the interview but is she a convicted stalker?” he said.
“The key point is, if she isn’t, then the Netflix claim at the start of every episode saying ‘this is a true story’ becomes problematic.
“Have they defamed her? If you accuse someone of being a convicted stalker and they are not, that is a pretty serious claim to make.
“I think they’ve got problems here because she clearly is determined to have her day in court with Netflix.”
“The key question is, after watching the series and my interview, is it actually a true story?
“Did she go to prison, is she a convicted stalker?
“As I sit here so far, there is no actual evidence that she has ever been in court – so we have to wait and see.”
Morgan also criticised how easy it was for sleuths to track down messages online.
“Internet sleuths typed parts of messages into her Twitter account and came up with the same phraseology,” he said.
“I think they [Netflix] failed in their duty of care to Fiona.”
Harvey also denied any criminal convictions during her interview with Morgan.
“That’s completely untrue. Very, very defamatory to me, very career damaging.
“And I wanted to rebut that completely on this show. I’m not a stalker,” she said.
“I’ve not been to jail, I’ve not got injunctions, interdicts. This is just complete nonsense.”
In a moment towards the end of the in-depth interview, Harvey looked into the camera and sent a message to Gadd regarding the allegations against her.
“Leave me alone, please,” she said.
“Get a life. Get a proper job. I am horrified at what you’ve done.”
Baby Reindeer has taken the world by storm since its release, with millions tuning in to follow the story of a comedian and his stalker.
Written by and starring comedian Gadd – who plays Donnie Dunn, a fictionalised version of himself – the program details the alleged ordeal, with Martha played by Jessica Gunning.
THE ‘REAL’ MARTHA SPEAKS
Last week, Harvey said she only met comedian Gadd “five or six times”.
Morgan scored the exclusive interview with Harvey, which aired on his YouTube channel Piers Morgan Uncensored.
The show depicts an aspiring comedian who meets a woman at a bar who quickly develops an unhealthy obsession with him.
It was written by and stars comedian Richard Gadd as a fictional version of himself, Donny Dunn.
Harvey, 58, has outed herself as the woman Martha is based on after internet sleuths tracked her down within hours of the show’s premiere and began sending her death threats.
Harvey denies stalking Gadd and says almost all of the show’s scenes were completely fictionalised – including the one where they first met.
“He didn’t offer me a cup of tea. No one gets anything free from the Hawley Arms,” Harvey told Morgan, referencing the real name of the pub where he worked.
“He interrupted a conversation with another barman he said, ‘Oh, you’re Scottish,’ and basically commandeered the conversation.
“You know, I was talking to somebody. It’s pretty rich. So he seemed to be obsessed with me from that moment onwards.”
While Gadd has openly said he has changed certain elements of the story, it is nevertheless billed as a dramatised version of his own experience.
During the lengthy interview, which had almost half a million people watching live, Harvey – who like fictional Martha also has a law degree – denied sending Gadd copious numbers of emails and other messages.
She also said she never sexually assaulted him, contacted his parents or attacked his girlfriend and was never charged – let alone convicted – of any offence.
“There may have been a couple of emails exchanged. Just some jokey banter,” Harvey said, referencing the tweet which outed her as it contained a sexually laden joke about ‘hanging curtains’ also mentioned in the show.
“I have no idea (where the other emails and communications came from). I think it’s probably made up himself.
“I don’t see how anyone could do 41,000 emails.”
However there is one element of the show Harvey says rings true.
“I had a toy reindeer,” she told Morgan.
According to media reports, Morgan paid the Scottish lawyer A$473 for the tell-all.
Morgan has gleefully been promoting his interview on X, formerly known as Twitter, boasting his interview was “making waves around the world before it even airs”.
“The real-life Martha from Baby Reindeer breaks cover and gives me her first TV interview about the smash hit Netflix show,” Morgan wrote.
“Fiona Harvey wants to have her say & ‘set the record straight.’
“Is she a psycho stalker?”
The 'real Martha' from Baby Reindeer.
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) May 9, 2024
Premiering on Piers Morgan Uncensored at 8pm (UK).
📺 https://t.co/mxTnxUUCe8@piersmorgan | #MarthaUncensored pic.twitter.com/Q7zh8RDiAB
A trailer teasing the interview shows Morgan peppering Harvey with questions.
“How do you feel about Richard Gadd?’ Morgan asks.
“Do you feel he is mentally unwell?”
Not everyone is impressed, with many taking to social media to slam Morgan for the move.
“Hearing Piers Morgan has interviewed the ‘real-life’ Martha fills me with dread. A vulnerable woman exploited for the entertainment of people …” one poster commented.
The character of Scott, played by actor, Jessica Gunning, was at times portrayed as aggressive and at others as in desperate need of support.
Baby Reindeer has dominated streaming charts since it was released on Netflix a month ago, amassing 60 million views.
‘Out of her mind’: SJP’s set tantrum revealed
Sex and the City star Kristin Davis has revealed Sarah Jessica Parker’s epic on-set meltdown over an outfit she hated for her character.
Read more
Inside scoop on RHOS new season
Reality star Sally Obermeder reveals her tricks to surviving cocktail showdowns and avoiding pity parties as she returns to the Real Housewives of Sydney.
Read more