EXCLUSIVE: After Netflix bought slapped with a $170M Child Reindeer lawsuit, Deadline hears that the scandal’s blast radius has been felt on different drama initiatives impressed by actual occasions.
Sources mentioned the BBC has been fielding a surge in obligation of care compliance questions in latest weeks from producers of factual dramas eager to keep away from the same disaster on their reveals.
The BBC is at present engaged on numerous delicate initiatives, together with a Netflix co-production concerning the Lockerbie bombing and Kidnapped, a BBC3 sequence concerning the abduction of mannequin Chloe Ayling.
Solely this week, Deadline revealed that the BBC is working with Dancing Ledge Productions to inform the story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe‘s arbitrary detention in Iran. Manufacturing begins this month.
One individual mentioned there was “elevated consciousness” about obligation of care points following the Child Reindeer scandal and the BBC helps producers with compliance inquiries. The UK broadcaster’s processes haven’t modified.
A second individual mentioned the “stakes have been raised” by Child Reindeer after the alleged stalker on the heart of Richard Gadd‘s “true story” was shortly recognized as Fiona Harvey.
Harvey is now suing Netflix for defamation and negligence, in response to a go well with filed at a federal court docket in Los Angeles, which claims that the “largest lie in tv historical past” was informed concerning the Scottish lady.
Netflix mentioned: “We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to face by Richard Gadd’s proper to inform his story.” The streamer has beforehand mentioned it took “each affordable precaution” to disguise these concerned.
A number of senior business figures have disputed this, telling Deadline that the BBC would have performed extra to guard the id of Martha, performed by Jessica Gunning.
One prime producer praised the methodical method taken by the BBC’s compliance officers on comparable factual dramas, saying the broadcaster would have modified particulars together with Martha’s occupation, her nationality, and town during which Child Reindeer was set.
Child Reindeer was commissioned by Netflix’s UK chief Anne Mensah, who was beforehand a drama govt on the BBC. The sequence, which was the most-watched present on Netflix for weeks, was made by BBC Studios-owned Clerkenwell Movies.
