“Baby Reindeer” Star Richard Gadd Scores New Drama Series “Lions” After Netflix Show Controversy

Gadd will star in the series, produced by HBO and BBC. He will also serve as a writer and executive producer

John Nacion/Getty Richard Gadd attends SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations "Baby Reindeer" at SAG-AFTRA Foundation Robin Williams Center on June 06, 2024 in New York City.

Richard Gadd's next television role has been revealed amid the ongoing lawsuit over Baby Reindeer.

The British actor will star in, write and executive produce a new series in conjunction with HBO and the BBC. It currently has the working title Lions.

The series, which will be set in Scotland, will "capture the wild energy of a changing city" as estranged brothers Niall and Ruben navigate a "difficult question: What does it mean to be a man?"

After Ruben arrives at Niall's wedding, there's " an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives," according to the logline. The story will span "almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day," covering "the highs and lows of the brothers' relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way."

In a statement, Gadd, 35, said it's a dream come true to be working with HBO as he reflected on receiving boxsets of the network's shows, like The Sopranos and The Wire, and watching them "from start to finish" as "some of the happiest moments of my childhood."

"Since then, it has always been a dream of mine to work with HBO and be part of their iconic roster of shows," he said. "I am so grateful to Francesca Orsi, Kara Buckley and Clint LaVigne for taking this chance on the show and on Ruben and Niall too who - despite growing up in a dead-end Scottish town - would be absolutely pinching themselves at this! I cannot wait to get started.”

Ed Miller/Netflix Richard Gadd as Donny in 'Baby Reindeer'

Since the premiere of Baby Reindeer on Netflix — which Gadd adapted from a one-man play he'd written and performed several years ago, and is based loosely on real events that happened to Gadd when he was stalked — there has been controversy aplenty as the real-life inspiration behind the story has come forward.

Fiona Harvey, who inspired the fictional stalker Martha, played by Jessica Gunning in the series, began speaking out following the series' massive success. In April, she remained anonymous but told the Daily Mail that she was a "victim" as Gadd had "written a bloody show" about her and was using it to now "stalk" her.

Harvey then went on Piers Morgan Uncensored and refuted the claims, calling the story "complete nonsense."

Though she admitted she may have sent "a couple of emails" to Gadd, she denied there being more than 40,000 – as was claimed in the series – as she called Gadd "psychotic."

Ed Miller/Netflix Richard Gadd as Donny in 'Baby Reindeer'

Earlier this month, Harvey raised the stakes as she filed a lawsuit against Netflix claiming the portrayal of Martha is defamatory and inaccurate, accusing Netflix and Gadd of "destroying" her livelihood, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. She's asking for more than $170 million in damages.

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Baby Reindeer is now streaming on Netflix.

Read the original article on People.