Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning, 40, says she’s never been in a relationship but is ‘a big believer in love’ since coming out four years ago

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Jessica Gunning, who starred in Baby Reindeer, revealed she’s never been in a romantic relationship, but has remained optimistic about love since publicly coming out four years ago.

The 40-year-old actress became well-known for her role as Martha in the popular Netflix series, alongside Richard Gadd.

Jessica recently shared a story about a conversation she had in 2022 with a lesbian, who was describing the moment she realized she was gay.

She told The Sunday Times about a moment of realization she had. She explained, ‘It suddenly hit me – I’m gay! It turned out a lot of people around me were, too. I just never thought it could be me.’

She explained her delayed self-discovery by saying she’d never been in a relationship – with anyone. She felt this lack of experience was the reason she hadn’t understood her sexuality sooner.

She explained that she wasn’t interested in dating and was actively trying to avoid it. She never really understood how to flirt or connect with guys that way. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel lonely because she lived with her best friend and felt completely content with her life.

Jessica acknowledged that going 36 years without intimacy was challenging. She then explained she believed her lack of romantic relationships was linked to her body size.

She explained that feeling different allowed her to avoid admitting she wasn’t attracted to men, letting her instead claim she simply wasn’t ready to date.

The actress shared that she’s done some dating since the release of Baby Reindeer, but is currently single.

I’ve always admired her! She truly believes in finding love, but she’s not into the whole dating app scene. She’s a real romantic, and honestly, I love that about her – she’s old-fashioned in the best way!

Jessica is joining the cast of the movie adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree, where she’ll play Dame Washalot. She’ll be acting alongside Nicola Coughlan, Claire Foy, and Andrew Garfield.

This story, adapted from a series of novels, centers on Polly and Tim Thompson and their three children – Beth, Joe, and Fran – who must move to a secluded part of the English countryside.

There, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric occupants.

The first trailer shows the family venturing into a magical world for the first time, after finding a mysterious tree.

This film, adapted by Simon Farnaby – known for his work on Wonka and Paddington 2 – was directed by Ben Gregor. Filming finished earlier this year at various locations throughout the South of England and at Shinfield Studios in Reading.

Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning director, is heading the project through his production company, Neal Street Productions. They’re known for popular shows like Call the Midwife and acclaimed films such as 1917 and Revolutionary Road.

The movie begins with a family moving to the countryside, where their children quickly stumble upon a magical tree. This tree is home to a host of unusual and beloved characters, like Moonface, Silky, Dame Washalot, and Saucepan Man.

I absolutely love how this story takes a family to these incredible, magical worlds! It’s more than just adventure though; watching them go through everything together really brings them back to each other. For the first time in years, they truly start to appreciate what they have and reconnect as a family. It’s really heartwarming to see.

Enid Blyton’s books are still popular today, having been published in more than 35 languages and sold over 500 million copies globally. This makes her the most translated children’s author ever.

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2026-03-22 15:49