Netflix has signed a new deal with Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd despite a 170 million dollar (£129m) lawsuit, co-CEO Ted Sarandos has revealed.
The 60-year-old praised Gadd as a “brilliant storyteller” while speaking at the Royal Television Society (RTS) London Conference and said his story was something that was “unique to the times that we live in”.
He was responding to a question from presenter Kirsty Wark, who asked if Netflix needed a “stronger editorial grip” on the programme over how truthful it was.
Sarandos replied: “We are facilitating storytellers to tell their stories, this is Richard’s true story.
Ted Sarandos described Richard Gadd as a ‘brilliant storyteller’ (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
“And I could also give you a bit of news this morning, actually, Richard we did this morning, we actually finished our first look deal with Richard Gadd to do his next work at Netflix.
“I think he’s a brilliant storyteller, he told an incredible story, and I think the path of bringing Baby Reindeer to the world, from just a few years ago to a complete unknown storyteller, telling a story at Fringe in Edinburgh, to an international sensation, is something that is so unique to the times that we live in, and so unique to Netflix.
“Frankly, that we’re able to do that, I’m very proud of Richard and proud of the story he told, and we told it, and it is his true story.”
He added: “Baby Reindeer is (Gadd’s) story and he told his story, and it’s not a documentary and there are elements of the story that are dramatised.
“We’re watching it performed by actors on television, we think that it’s abundantly clear that there is dramatisation involved.
“It is interesting too, I would point out that it’s a fairly uniquely British debate, this debate is not happening anywhere else in the world.”
Baby Reindeer was among the big winners at this year’s Emmy Awards, taking home four gongs, with Gadd collecting three of the awards for writing, producing and starring in the series.
The show, said to be inspired by his real-life experiences of stalking and sexual assault, made headlines after a woman who claimed to be the inspiration behind the character Martha filed a lawsuit against Netflix and accused the story of being inaccurate.
In a statement about the new deal, Gadd added: “I’m beyond thrilled to be continuing my creative journey with Netflix.
“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, Anne, Peter and all the amazing staff who work at the company.”
During the conference, Sarandos revealed that the top four shows on Netflix’s yearly engagement report, showing audience viewing figures, were all produced in the UK: Fool Me Once, Baby Reindeer, Bridgerton and The Gentlemen.
He said he expected the report to be released on Thursday.
Sarandos said he wanted the platform to move into more live events and shows, but added that it was unlikely to start making political debate programmes saying he wanted Netflix to offer “refuge from some of the political business”.
He said: “So we just did a deal recently to bring two NFL football games to Netflix around the world on Christmas Day this year.
“That’ll be the only place to watch NFL football in the world will be on Netflix that day.
“I think that we also will kick off next year with the WWE, which will be weekly, live every week.
“And then we’ve got this Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight coming up around the world.
“Those are just events that I think people really love.
“If you look at the what people are talking about online, they certainly are talking about those events are most of the time.”
The co-CEO opened the conference with a speech saying Britain is “one of the best places in the world for TV”.
He said he had “always thought of the UK as the birthplace of prestige television” and said the streaming service invested more in the UK than anywhere else in the world outside the US.
He pointed to shows such as The Crown, Bridgerton and Thursday Murder Club as examples of shows which show the “ambition” of British-made shows.
Sarandos said: “I have seen first hand the scope and ambition of British-made shows and films, this wealth of talent is a great British success story.
“I say that because it did not happen by accident, it happened because you have great public service broadcasters and institutions here that nurture British talent and creativity, institutions like RTS, the oldest television society in the world.”