Latest news with #BabyReindeer
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Soccer Aid's Martin Compston's professional football career before he left for acting
The Scots Line of Duty star is starring in the Soccer Aid line-up, however, this isn't the first time he's laced up his football boots... Before he was a huge star in the likes of Line of Duty and Mayflies, Martin Compston was actually a professional footballer. The Scots actor is mostly known for playing a waistcoat wearing DS Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama. The 41-year-old, is set to play Soccer Aid at Old Trafford this evening in the Rest of the World against England, with former Italy star Leonardo Bonucci among his team-mates. He's not the only Scots actor on his team either, as Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd is also set to take on England. However, before Celtic daft Compston turned to acting, he was actually a pro footballer. In his early football career, he had stints with Aberdeen and Morton. The Greenock-born star even played two senior matches for Morton at the end of the 2001/02 season, but without much success. His first appearance resulted in a 4-0 defeat against Alloa Athletic, while his second – another 4-0 defeat, this time against Queen of the South – saw Morton relegated from the Scottish Second Division. Speaking on his pal Si Ferry's famous football podcast, Open Goal, Compston opened up about his brief football career. He explained that he was first spotted while playing in a Scottish underage cup final against a Celtic side which included future Man Utd star Darren Fletcher. After a stint with his hometown club, he was signed by Aberdeen where he played alongside future Premier League star Dean Windass. Compston even captained the Aberdeen youth team for a short period, but the actor knew when his time was up at the club. He told Si: "I remember I was captain at a game and one of the top scouts came down, and we got beat off an East Kilbride select, I went, 'That's that f*****!'" After his time at Aberdeen, Compston found himself back at Morton in the Scottish Second Division. "It just wasn't a good time to be at the club," the actor admitted. "They'd just gone down to the second division and we were struggling. "It was a mad time. We were full-time the YTS [Youth Team Scholarship] players. There was only three or four of us cleaning 40 pairs of boots and cleaning the stadium. "The first team were coming in training at night. There was a lot of hanging about. I felt more like a cleaner than a football player. "I made my debut when I was 17," Compston recalled. "We were away to Alloa. I knew they were only going to pitch me in if we were well up or well down. "I felt terrible, Alloa were winning 2-0 with 40 minutes left and they put a third one in and I was like, 'You beauty.' "The last game of the season, we had to win to stay up and we were playing Queen of the South who had to win to win the league. It was a sell-out, 14,000. The atmosphere was unbelievable." The day didn't go to plan however, he added: "There was some b******... at half-time, I knew I was going on. So I'm spraying balls about. "It smashed somebody and he's run on and rugby tackled me. The stewards were just all laughing. It was nerve-wracking. It was Scottish second division football but it's like, 'You've done that.'" Compston began acting during his football career after he bagged a lead role in Ken Loach's film 'Sweet Sixteen' while still with Morton. "It worked out perfect," Compston explained. "I'd just finished my exams and I'd got my Morton contract. The auditions were at the end of the year. "I went to [Morton manager] Peter Cormack and asked if it was alright to miss a couple of days of pre-season. We filmed it in the close season. He said, 'You're a fit boy, you'll be fine.' I finished filming and went back to Greenock Morton. "I remember being gutted because in the programme notes, the players were asked who's their favourite actor and not one of them said me. I thought one of them, for a joke, would throw my name in there!" Despite Loach being impressed by Compston's acting ability, the director advised him to keep in at his football career. He decided against Loach's advice and auditioned for a Heartbeat spin-off called The Royal. He had been sent the wrong script but still got the part and from then on his mind was set. "That was a big wake-up call," Compston said. "They don't know who I am. They hadn't seen Sweet Sixteen. To get that, I said, 'OK, I'm alright at this.' "Morton weren't going through the best of times. I was driving up the road one day, passing Cappielow [Greenock Morton's stadium] and I just went in and said [to manager Dave McPherson], 'I think I'm going to give this acting a crack.' He said, 'Sorry to lose you,' but I didn't find it too hard to be honest." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd filming in Glasgow for new BBC drama
Scottish actor Richard Gadd will be filming in the west end of the city later this month in a new project in collaboration with the BBC and HBO. Richard Gadd is set to make a splash in Glasgow for a new filming venture with the BBC. The Netflix Baby Reindeer star, who rose to fame for his performance in the dark comedy series, is taking on a new project in collaboration with HBO. The Fife-born actor will feature in upcoming series Half Man, which will be filmed across Glasgow's west end. Crews are reportedly set to descend on areas of Dumbarton Road later this month. Locals in the area have been warned of the upcoming shoot, which could result in traffic disruptions and parking restrictions. Mam Tor Productions has indicated that it will be working on a series named The Clinch. But this coincides closely with details surrounding Half Man, which is currently being filmed in the city and falls under the Glasgow-based production umbrella, according to Glasgow Live. Half Man delves into the lives of brothers Niall, portrayed by Jamie Bell from Billy Elliot, and Ruben, played by Richard Gadd himself. A dramatic turn of events at Niall's wedding, precipitated by Ruben's unexpected arrival, triggers a violent outburst that propels viewers through the siblings' tumultuous history. The series, set in and around Glasgow, spans nearly 40 years from the 1980s to the present day. In a letter to local residents in the Glasgow area, Mam Tor Productions described the show as an "ambitious dark comedy-drama" set in and around Glasgow that "will capture the wild energy of a changing city". The drama "covers the highs and lows of two brothers' relationship, from meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults," including "all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way". Gadd expressed his excitement, as he said in a statement ahead of his new gig: "I am delighted to confirm I will be playing Ruben in the newly crowned Half Man for the BBC/HBO alongside the incomparable Jamie Bell. When I wrote the show, I did it with him in mind, never thinking for a second we would manage to land him." He continued: "So I could not be happier for everything that has come to pass in getting him on board. He is one of the greatest actors of his generation and I am so looking forward to seeing what he does with the role. Thanks to all the staff at the BBC, HBO, and Mam Tor Productions for making it all happen. I cannot wait to work with you all in the months ahead." The eagerly anticipated series will feature six 45-minute episodes and is set to premiere in 2026, available on BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland in the UK, and across the pond on HBO in the USA.
Boston Globe
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
In ‘Dept. Q,' Netflix continues a trend of finding hits across the globe
Based on Jussi Adler-Olsen's novel 'The Keeper of Lost Causes,' and created by Scott Frank (who brought a similar storytelling verve to his breakout 2020 Netflix limited series ' Yes, the streamer cranks out its share of dross, especially in the true crime genre. But it also has a history of success with programming from across the globe, including the likes of 'Baby Reindeer' (from Scotsman Richard Gadd), 'Adolescence' (from Englishman Stephen Graham), 'Squid Game' (South Korea, Hwang Dong Hyuk), ' Advertisement In movie terms, you could think of 'Dept. Q' as a descendent of the Euro American art film — think Michelangelo Antonioni's 'Blow-Up' (1966), or Wim Wenders's 'Paris, Texas' (1984). But such a description doesn't do justice to the show's fiendishly entertaining flavor. As grim as it can get, 'Dept. Q' offers a world of viewing pleasure. Chris Vognar, a freelance culture writer, was the 2009 Nieman Arts and Culture Fellow at Harvard University.
Perth Now
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Sad update on Baby Reindeer's real-life Martha
Fiona Harvey — the woman who inspired the character Martha in the hit Netflix show Baby Reindeer — claims she is going blind. The 59-year-old, who is embroiled in a multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit with the streaming giant, told Daily Record that she's been diagnosed with background retinopathy. 'I'm going blind and it's not surprising with the stress I have been under as a result of Baby Reindeer,' she told the media outlet. 'I am diabetic and had always been able to keep my blood sugars under control, but my blood sugars have been wild ever since Richard Gadd's show aired. 'I am not sleeping properly, I'm not able to eat properly, I'm not able to get proper exercise because I'm virtually a prisoner in my own home.' Martha in Baby Reindeer. Credit: Unknown / Netflix Background retinopathy is the initial stage of diabetic retinopathy where blood vessels in the retina change due to high blood sugar levels. The law graduate is suing Netflix for $170 million after Richard Gadd based a series on his experience being stalked by a woman — who was later identified as being Ms Harvey. The series opened with the line 'This is a true story', which encouraged the viewer to perceive the entire story and its events as fact. However, last year a judge ruled that the Netflix show was not entirely a true story. Judge Gary Klausner found that Martha's behaviour on the show was portrayed significantly worse than what is accused of Ms Harvey in real life. The series sees Martha jailed twice for her actions, however Ms Harvey has never been sent to jail. Netflix attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed, saying the alleged defamatory claims are actually 'substantially true' but its motion was rejected. The hearing for the case will likely be heard next year.
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Baby Reindeer's real life Martha 'going blind' after stress over lawsuit
Fiona Harvey, who is the inspiration behind Martha from Netflix's Baby Reindeer, has claimed she's going blind due to the mounting stress from the series Fiona Harvey, the inspiration behind Martha from Baby Reindeer, has said she's going blind. The Scot who inspired the character in Richard Gadd's series is currently embroiled in a multi-million-dollar defamation lawsuit with streaming giant Netflix. But the 59-year-old law graduate has said the stress surrounding the Netflix series has caused her so much stress, which she has linked to her diagnosis of background retinopathy. "I'm going blind, and it's not surprising with the stress I have been under as a result of Baby Reindeer," she said. In a new interview, Fiona said: "I am diabetic and had always been able to keep my blood sugars under control, but my blood sugars have been wild ever since Richard Gadd's show aired." She says that since the series, which has racked up countless awards, aired, she has not been able to sleep or eat properly. "I'm not able to get proper exercise because I'm virtually a prisoner in my own home," she said. Fiona received a confirmation letter from a hospital on Thursday after undergoing eye tests at a London hospital. The condition is a complication which affects people with diabetes. It happens when high blood sugar levels damage light-sensitive tissues at the back of the eye. Although stage one of the condition doesn't always affect vision, there is a likelihood that it could lead to significant vision loss. Speaking to the Daily Record, Fiona said: "It is something that diabetics can get if your sugars are out of control. My sugars were fine until Baby Reindeer, that led to all my physical health problems. "I don't have money for proper food. I feel it could lead to blindness very quickly in both eyes." A letter from a doctor, seen by the publication, reads: "Dear Dr Fiona Harvey, Your test results show that you do have background retinopathy." The letter also states that Fiona needs to manage her health in order to prevent any further damage. The series, which aired over a year ago, has seen Fiona identify herself as the woman who allegedly stalked Gadd while he was working in London. The series was billed as a "true story," which showed the character, Martha, following him to his home, his workplace at The Hawley Arms in Camden and various other locations. But since its release, it has become quite controversial. Harvey has filed a £132 million defamation lawsuit against the streaming giant that released the series, claiming she was easily identifiable as Martha. Netflix have defended the lawsuit and Mr Gadd's "right to tell his story." The hearing is said to be delayed until next year due to a series of appeals, as well as requests for adjournments. In the series, Martha was sent to jail twice, but Ms Harvey has no criminal convictions. She told the Record: "I have no criminal record. I am not Myra Hindley. I am not Rose West. "I'm not Dennis Nilsen. I have not received an indefinite life sentence. My life was normal before this started. Mr Gadd has made my life intolerable. I've had to send people out to do the food shopping. I can't have workmen in my house, lest they go off to Netflix." Now living in a "cramped" flat in London, she says: "At this rate, it's only a matter of time before I will lose my sight. "I have cataracts as well, so I have difficulty typing on a little screen, but due to NHS resources, they won't operate until you are practically blind. I will be stuck on a waiting list, and I will go blind. So congratulations, Richard Gadd. He can strut around while the rest of us involved in this saga have to suffer." While Ms Harvey states she has been defamed in the series, Netflix have said the alleged defamatory statements are non-actionable as they are "substantially true." Harvey fumed: "The court case gives Netflix loads and loads of publicity, and they hope I'll withdraw the motion or just die off."
