Series 2 Episode 23 - The Rest Is...Baby Reindeer, Piers Morgan Uncensored & 'The Real Martha'

This week, Jacki and Lyle discuss the recently recorded interview between Piers Morgan and the woman who has come to be known as the 'real Martha' from Richard Gadd's extraordinary Netflix series - Baby Reindeer. Fiona Harvey, who stalked Gadd for a prolonged period and Gadd later wrote his one man show, Baby Reindeer, based on his experiences during this time. After its release on Netflix, Gadd took to social media to urge viewers not to seek out the real people behind the characters from the show, but within days Harvey had been identified as the woman the character 'Martha' was based on. At the time of recording this episode, the interview on 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' on TalkTV had not been aired, and as a result Lyle and Jacki were unable to comment on any of the specifics. However, in a wide-ranging chat, Lyle expresses his sympathy for Gadd, stating that as a creative you should feel safe to write based on lived experiences without the threat of the real peoples' identities being revealed. Jacki discusses Fiona Harvey's lack of PR representation, with Lyle asking whether it is necessary to provide the PR equivalent of legal aid in situations where individuals with mental health issues find themselves in these highly exposing TV situations. Jacki and Lyle both agree that the TalkTV interview is exploitative of Harvey, who has seemingly offered to tell her story without understanding the consequences of sanctioning such a move. Jacki finally discusses what an indictment this situation is on where we find ourselves as a country, with Jacki worrying that the lack of mental health care provision in the UK leads people like Harvey to seek outlets like this instead of looking for the appropriate help for her condition.