Netflix fans go WILD over chilling new thriller that is being likened to Stephen King's Misery - but is actually based on a sinister TRUE story

Netflix fans are eagerly anticipating the release of a chilling new series which has been likened to Stephen King's Misery - but is based on a true story.

The new psychological thriller, titled Baby Reindeer, follows struggling comedian Donny Dunn (played by Richard Gadd) and his delicate relationship with a crazed fan named Martha (Jessica Gunning).

Their friendship begins to break down but Martha soon attempts to tighten her grip with devastating consequences.

But, in a fascinating twist, Gadd is actually also at the heart of the real-life story and has assumed the role of protagonist to relay the tale of his own obsessive stalker who chased him for years and bombarded him with over 41,000 messages and voicemails.

The new psychological thriller, titled Baby Reindeer, follows struggling comedian Donny Dunn (played by Richard Gadd) and his delicate relationship with a crazed fan named Martha (Jessica Gunning) 

The new series (left) has already been hailed for its similarities to Kathy Bates in the 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel Misery (right)

Martha in Baby Reindeer (left) will document the terrifying lengths one crazed fan will go to in order to get closer to her muse - with similar echoes of Kathy Bates in Misery (right)

Baby Reindeer, which is a seven-part series, will document the terrifying lengths one crazed fan will go to in order to get closer to her muse.

It has already been hailed for its similarities to Kathy Bates in the 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel Misery. 

Rob Reiner's cinematic adaptation of the book tells the fictional story of novelist Paul Sheldon who was in a car crash before being rescued by fan Kathy.

But his savior soon turns into his captor as she begins to terrorize the ailing guest for her own gain. 

Baby Reindeer will offer a modern day take with Martha largely using technology to stalk and constrain her victim.

Richard, who wrote and starred in the series, reflected on the project with Tudum as he explained how he had initially turned the worst chapter of his life into a one-man show at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe - before developing it for the screen.

'In a weird way, I first started feeling like this could be a good story during the whole ordeal itself. It was one of the most intense periods, when I was listening to these voicemails.

'I'd go to sleep at night and these voicemails — her words would bounce around my eyelids. I remember thinking, "God, if I was ever to speak about this onstage, I'd fire the words around. Put the voicemails in a big cacophony and fire it." That's how the play was born.' 

Rob Reiner's cinematic adaptation of the book tells the fictional story of novelist Paul Sheldon who was in a car crash before being rescued by fan Kathy 

Baby Reindeer will offer a modern day take with Martha largely using technology to stalk and constrain her victim 

He continued: 'Stalking on television tends to be very sexed-up. It has a mystique. It's somebody in a dark alley way. It's somebody who's really sexy, who's very normal, but then they go strange bit by bit.

'But stalking is a mental illness. I really wanted to show the layers of stalking with a human quality I hadn't seen on television before. It's a stalker story turned on its head. It takes a trope and turns it on its head.'

The creator said that he was keen to avoid creating a narrative of being a 'victim' which is why there a multiple layers to the relationship portrayed in Baby Reindeer.

'I think art is quite interesting when you don’t know who you are on the side of. I wanted it to be layered, and I wanted it to capture the human experience. 

'The human experience is that people are good, but they have bits of bad and they make mistakes,' he dished.

Elaborating further on what it was like to assume the role of playing himself, Richard, who eventually secured a restraining order against his stalker in 2019, described it as 'challenging.'

He added: 'It wasn't an easy thing to pull off. You are revisiting a period in your life, which was the worst period of your life. 

'So it's running back towards an awful fire you've been in...

'There's something slightly crazy about it, the whole thing, doing it - the layers upon layers. It is a heavy brew and it's all very challenging for sure.'

Richard, who wrote and starred in the series, reflected on the project with Tudum as he explained how he had initially turned the worst chapter of his life into a one-man show at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe - before developing it for the screen 

TV enthusiasts are already flooding to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the upcoming Netflix series

Jessica herself has also dished on her approach to the character study which she wanted to treat with a 'sense of care, duty, and responsibility to do the story justice.'

TV enthusiasts are already flooding to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the upcoming Netflix series.

One person said: 'Looks suffocating and horrific, count me in!'

Another quipped of the release date: 'April 11 should be tomorrow. I'm already in love.'

Others branded it as 'exciting' and 'amazing' with many expressing that they were very keen to tune in.

Baby Reindeer will be released on Netflix on April 11