George Galloway claims he was stalked by Baby Reindeer’s ‘real-life’ Martha
'Get a job': 'Real' Martha sends message to Richard Gadd over Baby Reindeer
George Galloway has claimed that during the 1980s he was stalked by Fiona Harvey, the woman who says she inspired the character of Martha in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer.
Galloway, 69, is the leader of the Workers Party of Britain and the MP for Rochdale.
Harvey, 58, has denied stalking Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd and is suing Netflix for millions of pounds in damages over its alleged depiction of her in the hit show, which is presented as a “true story.”
She accuses the streaming giant of ruining her reputation with their depiction of Martha, arguing in the legal documents that she never stalked or sexually assaulted Gadd, and was not handed a criminal conviction for stalking.
During a new interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Galloway told the host he had watched Harvey’s appearance on his show with great interest.
“I saw her sitting in this chair and was riveted by your interview, which was a masterclass,” Galloway told Morgan. “Piers Morgan at his best. It took me right back to the 1980s, when stalking was up close and personal. There was no emails or texting. You had to either phone someone on their landline or turn up at their door. That’s real stalking. That’s what she did to me.”
Galloway went on to say that Harvey was “forever on my case,” calling her an “obsessive woman.”
“Everywhere I turned she was there,” Galloway added. “At first I thought that she fancied me. But it turned out that she fancied my job. She was a relentless and physical, up-close-and-personal stalker of mine. I am ready to testify.”
Asked how much she stalked him, Galloway answered: “Everywhere I turned, she was there… she called me hundreds of times and she showed up probably hundreds of times.”
The Independent has approached Harvey’s legal representative for comment.
Baby Reindeer is a seven-part Netflix series, written by and starring stand-up comedian Gadd, in which his character is relentlessly harassed and stalked by a woman named Martha Scott, whom he meets while working at a pub in Camden.
The show became a surprise global hit and is on track to become one of Netflix’s most popular series of all time.
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Gadd has previously defended the show as being the “emotional truth” and has denounced internet sleuths who went in search of Harvey.
“I want the show to be received as a piece of art and I want people to enjoy the show as a piece of art. I’m called Donny Dunn. It exists in a sort of fictional realm, even though it is based on truth it exists in a fictional realm,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“If I wanted the real-life people to be found, I would’ve made it a documentary,” the actor added. “I’ve spoken publicly about how I don’t want people to do it and if I start playing a game of whack-a-mole, then I’m almost adding to it. I don’t think I’ll ever comment on it ever again.”