The top 100 most influential people in TV have been unveiled by Radio Times, with the cast of Baby Reindeer coming out on top.

The top spot was taken by Richard Gadd, creator and leading star of Baby Reindeer, which was one of the most talked-about shows of 2024. 

Produced by Clerkenwell Films, the runaway Netflix hit saw Gadd collect three Emmy awards and a Golden Globe.

His co-star Jessica Gunning came in at second place for her career-defining portrayal of stalker Martha, with Nava Mau, Richard Gadd’s love interest in the show, featuring in the list at number 33.

Ambika Mod took third place for a year of work which saw her ‘truly ascend to star status’, along with once again lighting up the screen in Disney+’s crime drama The Stolen Girl. 

Mod’s co-star in the series adaptation of hit novel One Day, Leo Woodall joined her in the list in fourth place as he looks set to take Hollywood by storm after also starring in The White Lotus.

The top 100 most influential people in TV have been unveiled by Radio Times, with the cast of Baby Reindeer coming out on top

Ambika Mod takes third place for a year of work which saw ‘her truly ascend to star status’, along with once again lighting up the screen in Disney+’s crime drama The Stolen Girl

Former EastEnders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins landed fifth place for his adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster Rivals that took Disney+ by storm – a show which also saw Danny Dyer take on the role of a heartthrob businessman, landing him in tenth place on the list.

A strong roster of BBC shows saw Ruth Jones & James Corden in sixth place for the Gavin & Stacey finale, Claudia Winkleman in seventh place for fronting The Traitors, and Chris McCausland in eighth place for his outstanding win on Strictly.

For her work in ‘one of the greatest runs of television in recent memory’ in Industry season 3, Marisa Abela took ninth place, with the actress in pole position to become one of TV and film’s biggest stars.

Other individuals to make the top 20 included Wolf Hall’s Mark Rylance, Showtrial’s Adeel Akhtar, EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw and Aardman’s Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham.

Morgan Jeffery, Digital Editor of Radio Times, said: ‘The RadioTimes.com TV 100 is our definitive annual rundown of the most powerful and influential figures working in television today – a celebration of the talent shaping what we watch and why we watch it. 

‘And in 2025, no name loomed larger than Richard Gadd. His bold, unflinching series Baby Reindeer didn’t just dominate the cultural conversation – it changed it, sparking global debate, critical acclaim and countless think-pieces. Gadd takes the top spot this year as a creative force who has redefined the boundaries of what TV can say and do. 

‘Close behind is Jessica Gunning, whose gripping performance has cemented her as one of the most talked-about actors of the year. Baby Reindeer wasn’t just a breakout – it was a reckoning, and its impact is still being felt across the industry.’

Helen Daly, Associate Editor of RadioTimes.com, added: ‘The RadioTimes.com’s TV 100 list is jam-packed with talent from every corner of the television industry and reflects the strong position it finds itself in today. 

A strong roster of BBC shows sees Ruth Jones & James Corden in sixth place for that Gavin & Stacey finale

Claudia Winkleman in seventh place for fronting the hottest reality show of the moment The Traitors

Chris McCausland came in eighth place for proving anything is possible with his outstanding win on Strictly

‘From Baby Reindeer and Rivals to EastEnders and the General Election, the names in our list have gone above and beyond to entertain and inform us over the past 12 months.’

The annual list was compiled by leading figures from across the creative industries, including Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content; Dame Pippa Harris, Neal Street Productions, Co-Founder; Damien Timmer, Mammoth Screen, Chief Creative Officer and Founder and more, whose nominations of the most exciting, influential names working in television today were then curated into a final list by RadioTimes.com’s team of expert editors and critics.

Baby Reindeer, which picked up six Emmy awards on Sunday night, proved to be a smash hit on Netflix and had 88million people tuning in.

Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive of Netflix, previously defended Baby Reindeer by claiming the hit series is a ‘drama, not a documentary’ after the streaming service was hit with legal action from a woman who claimed to be the real stalker Martha.

He said the series is the personal account of its creator Richard, who also plays the lead role of comedian Donny Dunn, and his own experience with a stalker.

Fiona Harvey came forward claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha, alleging the story was inaccurate, and filed a lawsuit against Netflix.

At the beginning of the first episode, text appears on the screen which says: ‘This is a true story.’

For her work in ‘one of the greatest runs of television in recent memory’ in Industry season 3, Marisa Abela takes ninth place, with the actress in pole position to become one of TV and film’s biggest stars

Baby Reindeer, which picked up six Emmy awards on Sunday night, had 88 million people tuning in

‘We are facilitating storytellers to tell their stories,’ said Sarandos. ‘Baby Reindeer is his [Gadd’s] story, he told his story, it is not a documentary.’

‘There are elements of the story that are dramatised,’ said Sarandos. ‘It is abundantly clear that there is dramatisation involved. This debate [about Baby Reindeer’s status as a true story] is not happening anywhere else in the world. Just the UK.’

Richard, in his Emmy awards acceptance speech, urged aspiring writers to take risks with their work.

‘The only constant across any success in television is good storytelling,’ he told the audience.

‘Good storytelling speaks to our times … take risks, push boundaries, explore the uncomfortable, dare to fail in order to achieve.’