The creator and star of the global Netflix sensation Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd, has seen his company's assets surge to over £2.4 million in the wake of the show's success. Newly filed accounts reveal the financial windfall for the Scottish writer-performer, nearly two years after the series premiered and became a worldwide hit.
From Fringe to Fortune: The Financial Success Story
Accounts for Gadd's company, RRSG Ltd, show total assets declared for 2025 reached £2,462,405. This figure includes money held in bank accounts and a property portfolio. The company's shareholder funds now stand at £1,875,649, a sum that has more than doubled in the past year alone.
The firm, established in 2018 shortly after Gadd's original one-man show premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, lists 'artistic creation' as its business. Gadd is the sole director and shareholder. The series, which Gadd has stated is based on his real-life experiences of being stalked, was released on Netflix in April 2024 and has been viewed more than 250 million times globally.
Awards Acclaim and Legal Backlash
The critically acclaimed drama, in which Gadd stars as aspiring comedian Donny Dunn and Jessica Gunning plays his obsessive stalker Martha, has swept major awards. It has won six Emmys, two Golden Globes, and Gunning secured a BAFTA for her performance earlier this year.
However, the show's success has been shadowed by controversy. Fiona Harvey, the woman who identifies as the real-life inspiration for the character Martha, is engaged in a £132 million defamation lawsuit against Netflix. Harvey, a 59-year-old law graduate, claims the series made her easily identifiable and has caused immense personal distress.
Health Crisis Linked to 'Intolerable' Stress
In a recent development, Fiona Harvey has revealed she is facing a serious health crisis, which she directly attributes to the stress caused by the series. She has been diagnosed with background retinopathy, a diabetic eye condition, and fears it could lead to blindness.
"I'm going blind, and it's not surprising with the stress I have been under as a result of Baby Reindeer," Harvey stated. She explained that her blood sugar levels, previously under control, have been "wild" since the show aired, leading to this complication. Harvey claims the stress has left her unable to sleep or eat properly and has made her a "prisoner" in her own London flat.
She vehemently denies the show's portrayal, stating she has no criminal record and that her life was "normal" before the series aired. Netflix has defended the lawsuit and Gadd's "right to tell his story." The hearing for the case has been delayed until next year.
The stark contrast between Gadd's multi-million-pound success and the severe personal and health struggles reported by Harvey underscores the complex and often painful human reality behind a globally celebrated piece of television.
