Baby Reindeer marked a significant milestone for Richard Gadd and Netflix.
Following the success of the series, which won six Emmys in 2024, Netflix has teamed up with Gadd for more groundbreaking shows.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix Co-CEO, announced this at the RTS London Convention, revealing a new multiyear deal with Gadd.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be continuing my creative journey with Netflix,” Gadd shared. “They took a chance on me when I wasn’t proven in the television space; for that I will always be grateful. I look forward to the years ahead with Netflix, ideas with Ted, Bela [Bajaria], Anne [Mensah], Peter [Friedlander], and all the amazing staff who work at the company.”
The Story Behind Baby Reindeer
Based on Gadd’s one-man play from Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Baby Reindeer tells the story of comedian Donny Dunn’s troubled relationship with his stalker, Martha, played by Jessica Gunning. This dark comedy also stars Nava Mau as Teri, a therapist who meets Donny via a dating app, and Tom Goodman-Hill as Darrien, a TV writer who could become Donny’s mentor.
The series made waves, staying in Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV list (English) for eight weeks. It topped charts in 92 countries, garnering 88.4 million views in 91 days, and snagged six Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series and awards for acting, writing, casting, and editing.
“It’s been a whirlwind since [Baby Reindeer] came out,” Gadd told Tudum days before his big night at the 2024 Emmys. “It’s been positive, it’s been overwhelming. I’ve had people coming up to me being like, ‘It’s allowed me and my family to talk about this thing that has hung over our family for so many years.’ There was a 53% rise in referrals to abuse charities, and stalking charities up 47%. That is not spoken about enough, I think, in all of the stuff that’s going on with Baby Reindeer. Some of those responses, people seeking help, are some of the best responses of all. It’s worth it.”
Fans love how this show tackles difficult topics with such grace.
Sometimes, TV shows come along that change the way we talk about hard things.