Netflix has announced Russell Brand: Open Secret, a documentary examining the comedian and actor’s rise to fame, the allegations that emerged in 2023 and the criminal trial that ended with his conviction.
Directed by Olivia Isaacs, the film is produced by 72 Films, the Fremantle-owned company behind Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story. Netflix says it will premiere on November 13. The documentary features interviews with people who had access to Brand and archival footage, while tracing the investigation conducted by The Times and The Sunday Times.
That investigation was led by journalists Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace. The allegations against Brand first became public in 2023 through reporting by The Sunday Times and a Channel 4 Dispatches programme.
The announcement comes days after Brand was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London. On November 5, a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. The offences took place between 2004 and 2009.
On November 9, Judge Joel Bennathan sentenced Brand to 10 years and six months in prison. He was acquitted of two rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault. He must serve two thirds of the term before he can be released on licence.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that Brand remains under investigation over further rape allegations made by two other women. Those allegations are separate from the offences for which he was convicted.
Brand became known through stand-up comedy, television and radio presenting, before appearing in films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek. He later built a following through commentary on politics, wellness and conspiracy theories.
The production team includes executive producers Clare Cameron, David Glover and Mark Raphael, with Kate Yandle, Laura Spence and Felicity Cross serving as producers.
