Netflix confirms new Russell Brand documentary 'Open Secret' featuring journalists who investigated convicted comedian

Netflix has announced a new Russell Brand documentary, after the comedian was found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

Russell Brand: Open Secret, which will drop on the streaming platform on Friday (13 November), will chart Brand’s "meteoric rise and steep fall" and delve into his criminal trial.

The documentary has been produced by Fremantle-owned 72 Films, the company behind 2022’s Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story, and features interview with insiders and archive material.

It also tracks the investigation run by The Times and The Sunday Times, which was led by the papers’ chief news correspondent, Rosamund Urwin, and investigations correspondent, Charlotte Wace.

On Thursday 5 November, Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.

On Monday 9 November, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison.

The judge ruled that Brand will not be eligible for release until he has completed two thirds of the term.

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Following the conviction, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that Brand is also being investigating over two more alleged rapes.

Brand first rose to notoriety as a comedian on MTV in the UK, before becoming a household name thanks to his work on the likes of the Big Brother spin-off Big Brother’s Big Mouth.

The allegations against Brand first came to light in a 2023 Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, in which he was accused of rape, sexual assault and abuse.

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Authors

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.