Fife comedian Richard Gadd has told US talk show host Jimmy Fallon of his shock at the success of Baby Reindeer.
Gadd’s Netflix TV smash has become a global sensation since it launched in April.
It is also at the centre of a £133 million US lawsuit, with a woman claiming to have inspired the character of Martha Scott accusing the streaming platform of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
In the series, Martha (Jessica Gunning) stalks the Wormit funnyman’s character Donny Dunn after he serves her a free cup of tea in the pub where he works.
‘It just exploded’
Gadd, who appeared on US TV with co-star Gunning, told Fallon: “It went out at like 8am in the UK on April 11.
“I thought, ‘Maybe my mum [Julia] and dad [Geoff] will watch it this weekend or something’.
“It literally felt overnight, it just exploded, my phone was going off, my door bell was ringing – everyone just seemed to be discussing it.
“Then I kept having these points where I thought, this is as as big as it gets.
“It got to number eight in the UK and I thought, ‘That’s about it’.
“Then it got to number one and then it was number one over here (US).”
Gadd says his story, inspired by true events, has had cross-cultural success which he never expected.
He added: “It’s such an odd story, and a weird traumatic story but I guess a lot of people are suffering right now.”
Fallon praised the stars of the show after sharing a Baby Reindeer clip.
The programme has been described as “tragic and brilliant” by Netflix viewers since its release.
Gadd is now writing a drama for the BBC, called Lions.
He has described that project as “dreams come true style stuff”.
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