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“I’m Suing Him”: Baby Reindeer’s Alleged Real-Life Martha Threatens Stephen King
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After Threatening Netflix, Baby Reindeer’s “Real-Life Martha” Wants To Sue Stephen King

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The alleged real-life Martha from Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer hit show recently threatened legal action against Stephen King, in addition to announcing that she was ready to publish her own book.

Taking to her Facebook page on Thursday (May 2), the woman, whose name was concealed in this article for safety reasons, wrote: “If this twerp Stephen ding dong king tries to do a movie horror killer dear I’m suing him.

Highlights
  • The alleged real-life Martha threatened legal action against Stephen King for praising 'Baby Reindeer'.
  • Stephen King compared 'Baby Reindeer' to his novel 'Misery', calling it a brilliant show.
  • 'Martha' is allegedly planning to publish her own book in response to the show.

“Point blank. Gagg on balls

“I mean gadd wil hop to the idea.”

The real-life Martha from Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer threatened legal action against Stephen King

Image credits: Netflix

The woman’s post follows Stephen’s recent statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), where he wrote on April 26: “BABY REINDEER: Holy sh*t.”

And on May 1, the King of Horror wrote on X: “I have an essay about BABY REINDEER in the London Times

“I can’t believe they paid me for writing about such a cool show, but they did. Of course, I DID pay Netflix.”

Image credits: Gary Miller/Getty Images

In his essay for The Times, published on May 1, Stephen called the dark comedy drama-thriller miniseries “one of the best things” he’s ever seen. 

The 76-year-old author compared it to his 1987 horror-thriller novel, Misery, which centers on a romance novelist who gets kidnapped and held hostage by his self-proclaimed number-one fan. 

“My first thought was to thank God my novel came first, or people would assume I’d stolen it from Richard Gadd,” he joked in the essay.

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“Martha’s” threat follows Stephen’s public praise for the popular Netflix series

Image credits: StephenKing

Image credits: StephenKing

Nevertheless, real-life Martha didn’t share the sentiment, as just a day after threatening to sue Stephen if he ever made a horror movie adaptation of the show, she wrote: “Baby reindeer Was gadds last desperste shot. Pathetic Be carfull what you wish for.”

The ordeal might’ve inspired the woman to give the literary world a run for its money, as she announced on Friday (May 3): “Whos a ready for my wee book” before adding in another Facebook post: “Who is ready for my book.”

The woman accused of being the real-life stalker depicted in Baby Reindeer previously expressed her strong disapproval of the show and had already warned about taking legal action against Netflix.

“If this twerp Stephen ding dong king tries to do a movie horror killer dear I’m suing him,” the woman wrote on Facebook

Image credits: Netflix

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Image credits: Netflix

Written and directed by Richard, the series is based on his real-life experience of being stalked by a mentally ill woman while he was a bartender at The Hawley Arms in Camden, London. In the show, the obsessive stalker Martha is portrayed by Jessica Cunning.

Given the show’s popularity—it has reached number 1 on Netflix charts in over 30 countries—it’s no surprise that Internet sleuths have worked collectively to discover the stalker’s real identity.

Written and directed by Richard, the series is based on his real-life experience of being stalked by a mentally ill woman

Image credits: Netflix

The unnamed 58-year-old woman told the Daily Mail on April 27 that she thought the script amounted to “bullying an older woman on television for fame and fortune” and claimed that she had received online “death threats and abuse from Richard Gadd supporters.”

“I’m the victim. He’s written a bloody show about me,” she said of the Scottish actor, writer, and comic.

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The woman in question shared many similarities with Martha’s character: they’re both Scottish, around 20 years older than Richard, studied law at university, and have a history of stalking.

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They also look alike. The London resident told the news outlet that her on-screen persona “sort of looks like [her] after [she] put on four stone during lockdown, but [she’s] not actually unattractive.”

“I am very attractive. He’s not Brad Pitt,” she said at the time.

The presumed real-life Martha announced on Friday (May 3) that she was launching her own book

Image credits: Netflix

Furthermore, the 58-year-old claimed that since the show’s release on the streaming platform she has been targeted by “dangerous” Internet stalkers from “a cult thing like the Moonies.”

The woman’s claims come after the creator of the seven-part series urged viewers not to unmask the real-life Martha.

In an Instagram story shared on April 22, Richard requested that fans not dig deeper into the people who inspired his abusers on the show, including a successful TV writer who sexually assaulted him.

Image credits: Netflix

“Hi, everyone. People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation,” the 34-year-old wrote.

“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.”

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Bored Panda has contacted Richard and Stephen’s respective representatives for comment.

“I do kinda feel a bit sorry for her,” a reader commented

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impossiblekat avatar
KatSaidWhat
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And I thought Boris Johnson getting turned away at the polls was the funniest thing I would read today. Guess that's one way to draw publicity to your book. But you better be damn sure that you don't end up plagiarising the literal King of Horror.

storm_and_baby avatar
Lisa T
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The real Martha’s name is common knowledge now, for someone who didn’t want to be identified, she’s certainly not trying to hide anymore

mullicaninc avatar
Ross “Sarcastic Dad”
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what I thought, too. I love the people that try to deny something, but end up absolutely proving their point. My co worker called me "Queen Petty" the other day. I spent an hour at my desk thinking of how I could prove her wrong until I realized, "Ohhhh, this is what she meant." lol. (she's a friend, it was all in good fun)

Load More Replies...
emmastowe1986 avatar
Emma S
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure Stephen ding dong King, is really scared of being sued by a fantasist in Scotland.

Load More Comments
impossiblekat avatar
KatSaidWhat
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And I thought Boris Johnson getting turned away at the polls was the funniest thing I would read today. Guess that's one way to draw publicity to your book. But you better be damn sure that you don't end up plagiarising the literal King of Horror.

storm_and_baby avatar
Lisa T
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The real Martha’s name is common knowledge now, for someone who didn’t want to be identified, she’s certainly not trying to hide anymore

mullicaninc avatar
Ross “Sarcastic Dad”
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what I thought, too. I love the people that try to deny something, but end up absolutely proving their point. My co worker called me "Queen Petty" the other day. I spent an hour at my desk thinking of how I could prove her wrong until I realized, "Ohhhh, this is what she meant." lol. (she's a friend, it was all in good fun)

Load More Replies...
emmastowe1986 avatar
Emma S
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure Stephen ding dong King, is really scared of being sued by a fantasist in Scotland.

Load More Comments
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