Richard Gadd, the creator and star of Netflix's hit series Baby Reindeer, has revealed that the show's sudden success was an 'innately destabilising experience'. The semi-autobiographical drama, based on his one-man stage show, became an overnight sensation and won numerous awards.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Times, Gadd admitted he was unprepared for the level of exposure. 'I just suddenly felt like one day people weren't paying attention to me, and the next day they were,' he said. 'It's a lot to put out there, in a lot of ways.'
Gadd, who had previously performed to niche audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre, said the global reach of Netflix made the experience particularly jarring. 'I think because I'd been cushioned by performing at the fringe and performing to my people, I wasn't quite prepared.'
Now, Gadd is back with a new series, Half Man, which is entirely fictional. The show, co-starring Jamie Bell, explores themes of brotherhood, violence and male fragility, and will premiere on BBC iPlayer on 24 April.
Despite the challenges, Gadd's success has been financially rewarding, with reports suggesting he earned around £2 million from Baby Reindeer. The series remains available to stream on Netflix.
