Mr Bates Vs The Post office trumps Baby Reindeer for Bafta but Jessica Gunning wins gong for Martha

Daily Record

12-05-2025

Sunday's Bafta Awards saw Richard Gadd walk out empty-handed after losing out to Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Richard Gadd walked out of the Bafta Awards empty-handed after losing out to Mr Bates vs The Post Office for a second time. Gadd's Baby Reindeer had previously lost out to the rival "true story" at this year's TV Choice awards.
His 'true story' of being stalked and raped had been nominated in the limited drama category at the Baftas, which was won by the critically acclaimed true story of the Horizon post office scandal.
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But there was good news for Jessica Gunning who once again picked up an award for her portrayal of the stalker Martha in Baby Reindeer, winning best supporting actress.
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Accepting the award, Gunning said she was 'so proud' to be part of the series.
She said: 'I sometimes do this kind of cheesy thing where I look back on the younger me and moments in my life, and I imagine the kind of then me, seeing me now, and think, 'little did we know'."
It marks a quadruplet of major wins for Gunning, having previously clinched an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild award.
She also wished Richard Gadd a happy birthday in character, calling out, 'Happy birthday, nipple.'
Her latest win comes just days after Gadd revealed he had not had time to reflect on the success of Baby Reindeer, which is one of Netflix 's biggest series of all time.
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It has been mired in controversy as a result of the streaming channel claiming 'This is a true story' in the opening credits.
Scots law graduate Fiona Harvey, 60, has claimed the stalker character Martha is based on her and that her life has been ruined as a result of the show.
She is suing Netflix in a £132 million case due to be heard in a Californian court next year, unless the two parties settle.
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Harvey is diabetic and blames the stress caused from being depicted as a convicted stalker on her latest health woes.
She claims she has received death threats after being depicted as a twice-convicted stalker.
Harvey said: 'There have been threats of physical violence and rape and being told my days were numbered.
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"People say I stalked Gadd so we'll stalk you. Most of these death threats come from men from America. Very few women. They were all men aged between 22 and 35.
"They said they wanted to rape me and rape my children.
"I actually don't have any children, but they said they would rape them like I had raped Gadd. One man said he was going to skin me alive."
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Gadd, 36, claims he has also been under immense pressure as a result of the show.
He told The Guardian: "There have been a lot of challenging moments.
"The show has reached such an extreme pitch – there have been times when I've felt like the pressure was intolerable.
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"It's been a hurricane. I don't think I'm at the point of reflection yet."
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On the success of the show as well as the controversy, he added: "I'm still getting used to it. Going to the supermarket comes with a million caveats now.'
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Gadd, who is working on a show for the BBC called Half Man, said he needed "some real time off" to figure out how he can get his feet back on the ground.
Bafta Fellowship honouree Kirsty Wark, who left BBC Two's Newsnight programme in 2024 after 30 years, joked that she probably got her award "for being 70, who knows?"
The long-running show was shortened by 15 minutes a year ago and its investigative films were cut. But Wark thinks it will survive.
She said: "If Newsnight wasn't there, they'd have to reinvent it. I'd bet £500 that Newsnight is safe. You still need that programme at the end of the day to see what just happened."