Richard Gadd, the creator of Baby Reindeer, has revealed that he has banned his parents from watching the hit show.
The series, which came out last month, has been topping Netflix’s viewership ratings, gaining 22million views in three weeks.
The semi-autobiographical series is based on a one-man play written by and starring Gadd, who also leads the Netflix show. It follows a struggling comedian named Donny (a fictionalised version of Gadd) as he is relentlessly stalked by an older woman named Martha.
As the story progresses and Donny attempts to understand his stalker, viewers learn of deeper trauma in his life, as dark events of his past are dredged up. One episode depicts a sexual assault against Donny by a television producer and writer who had been grooming him.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Gadd has prohibited his own parents from watching the show, adding that he pays for their Netflix account so will know if they do.
Mark Lewis Jones as Donny’s Dad in ‘Baby Reindeer’ CREDIT: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024
In a video aired by Netflix upon the series’ release, Gadd explained how at the time, his parents hadn’t watched the show, and how he had discouraged them from watching certain episodes.
“My parents haven’t seen the show already and I’ve warned them against certain episodes,” he said.
Speaking on the portrayal of his parents in the series, Gadd said: “It was very important to get my parents, what they’ve done for me, kind of in there. I think the things I’ve been through are pretty, you know, they take their toll on parents, and my biggest regret is putting them through some of the things I put them through.”
He added: “I couldn’t help it, but I feel bad about that. But I had nowhere else to turn, I needed my mum and my dad.”
“They’ve been very special, and they’ve been there for me,” he continued. “But I really regret the worry I’ve caused them, which still continues to this day.
In other news, TV presenter and author Richard Osman recently claimed that “everyone” in the industry knew the identity of real abuser behind the character in Baby Reindeer.
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