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Richard Gadd

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Richard Gadd
Birth nameRichard Robert Steven Gadd
Born (1989-05-11) 11 May 1989 (age 35)
Wormit, Fife, Scotland
MediumComedy, acting, writing
Notable works and rolesBaby Reindeer
Websiterichardgadd.com

Richard Robert Steven Gadd (born 12 May 1989)[1] is a Scottish writer, actor and comedian. He created and starred in the 2024 Netflix drama series Baby Reindeer, based on his one-man show and real-life experience.[2]

Career

Gadd trained at the Oxford School of Drama, completing the one-year course in 2012.[3] Gadd's early Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows Cheese & Crack Whores (2013), Breaking Gadd (2014)[4] and Waiting for Gaddot (2015) all debuted at the festival and went on to have runs at London's Soho Theatre. Waiting for Gaddot won an Amused Moose Comedy Award in 2015[5] as well as a Scottish Comedy Award for Best Solo Show in 2016.[6] It was also nominated for a Malcolm Hardee Award for Innovation[7] and a Chortle Award for Innovation.

Gadd's 2016 Fringe show Monkey See Monkey Do won the Edinburgh Comedy Award[8] for Best Comedy Show and was also nominated for a Total Theatre Award for Innovation.[9] Later that year, Gadd won a Chortle Comedian's Comedian Award[10] and was nominated for an Off West End Theatre Award for Best Performer.[11] The show then had several sell-out runs at Soho Theatre,[12] toured the UK and Europe,[13] and had a run at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where it was nominated for the 2017 Barry Award.[14] In 2017 it was broadcast on Comedy Central as part of their Soho Theatre Live series.[15]

Gadd's next show, Baby Reindeer, about his experiences with being stalked, premiered at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[16] It won two awards: the Scotsman Fringe First Award for New Writing[17] and a Stage Award for Acting Excellence.[18] The show then went on to a five-week run at The Bush Theatre in London[19] where it won an Off West End Theatre Award for Best Video Design, as well as receiving a nomination in the Best Performer category.[20] The show later transferred to the Ambassador's Theatre in London's West End, but was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.[21] A few months later, the show went on to win a prestigious Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre.[22] In 2024, Netflix broadcast a seven-episode drama based on the play.[23]

Gadd is also an actor, starring opposite Daniel Mays in the 2017 BAFTA-nominated BBC Two single drama Against the Law. Other acting credits include BBC Three's Clique, Sky Arts's One Normal Night, Sky One's Code 404 and E4's Tripped.[24] As a screenwriter, Gadd worked for Netflix's Sex Education, and has written episodes of Ultimate Worrier for Dave and The Last Leg for Channel 4, where he was also a correspondent. He's also had several projects aired on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland.[25]

Personal life

Gadd identifies as bisexual.[26] He is an ambassador for We Are Survivors, a UK charity dedicated to helping male survivors of sexual abuse.[23] Gadd himself is a survivor of sexual abuse.[27] From 2015 to 2017, Gadd was stalked by an older woman.[28]

References

  1. ^ "Fife comedian up for coveted Edinburgh Comedy Award". The Courier. 25 August 2016.
  2. ^ Lyons, Margaret (23 April 2024). "What to Watch: 'Baby Reindeer,' an Astonishing Stalker Drama". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Richard Gadd | Notable Alumni | OSD".
  4. ^ "Richard Gadd interview". British Comedy Guide. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  5. ^ "AmusedMoose | Comedy Awards | Stand-up Comedy Soho Kings Cross Awards Courses". amusedmoose.com. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  6. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Scot Squad apprehends two Scottish Comedy Awards". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  7. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Praise be to Gadd!". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  8. ^ Premier. "Best Show – Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards". Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  9. ^ "The Total Theatre Awards Shortlist 2016". Summerhall – Open Minds Open Doors. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  10. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Who won at the Chortle Awards 2017". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Off West End Theatre Award nominations | News". oxforddrama.ac.uk. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Richard Gadd: Monkey See Monkey Do at Soho Theatre". Soho Theatre. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Show & Tell". showandtelluk.com.
  14. ^ "Melbourne International Comedy Festival". Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  15. ^ "Comedy Central to broadcast Soho Theatre Live stand-up shows". British Comedy Guide. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  16. ^ Logan, Brian (10 September 2019). "Richard Gadd on his stalker: 'It would be unfair to say she was awful and I'm a victim'". The Guardian.
  17. ^ "Final Edinburgh Fringe First Award winners revealed | WhatsOnStage". whatsonstage.com. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Richard Gadd wins The Stage Edinburgh Award 2019 | News". oxforddrama.ac.uk. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  19. ^ "Baby Reindeer". bushtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  20. ^ "2020 Awards – The Offies". Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  21. ^ "Baby Reindeer and The Shark Is Broken are postponed". British Theatre. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  22. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Richard Gadd wins an Olivier Award". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  23. ^ a b Williams, Zoe (18 April 2024). "'I was severely stalked and severely abused': Richard Gadd on the true story behind Baby Reindeer [Interview]". The Guardian.
  24. ^ "Richard Gadd". IMDb. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  25. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – Richard Gadd: Daddy Diaries". BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  26. ^ "Inside Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd's life: The real man who the show is also based on". The Tab. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  27. ^ "Our Ambassadors". We Are Survivors. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  28. ^ "Baby Reindeer review — Netflix's unsettling stalker drama makes for difficult viewing". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 April 2024.