When Is the Russell Brand Documentary on Netflix? Release Date, What It’s About and What to Expect

The Russell Brand documentary is released on Netflix on Friday, November 13, 2026. Titled Russell Brand: Open Secret, the new feature-length film examines the comedian and actor’s rise to fame, his transformation into a political activist and online personality, and the criminal case that has brought his career under intense scrutiny.

Directed by Olivia Isaacs, the documentary comes from 72 Films, the Fremantle production company behind Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story. It combines archival footage with interviews and contributions from people with insight into Brand’s life, as well as journalists involved in the investigation that preceded his trial.

The release comes just days after Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault in a London court and sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. The timing makes Russell Brand: Open Secret one of Netflix’s most closely watched new documentary releases this week.

Here is when you can watch it, what the film is about and the background to the story.

When is the Russell Brand documentary on Netflix?

Russell Brand: Open Secret premieres on Netflix on Friday, November 13, 2026.

The film is a feature-length documentary rather than a multi-part series. It follows Brand’s journey from his early success as a comedian and film star to his later public identity as a political activist and YouTuber, before examining the criminal investigation and trial that have dominated headlines.

If you are searching for the Russell Brand documentary release date, the key date is Friday, November 13. The film will be available to stream on Netflix.

What is Russell Brand: Open Secret about?

Russell Brand: Open Secret charts the rise and fall of one of Britain’s most recognisable entertainers.

Brand first became widely known through comedy, television and radio, building a high-profile career that eventually led to roles in Hollywood films. His public image later changed as he moved towards political commentary and online content, developing a substantial YouTube following and becoming known for promoting conspiracy theories.

The documentary looks at the different stages of that journey and the events that led to his criminal trial.

Rather than focusing solely on Brand’s celebrity career, the film also examines the investigation by journalists at The Times and The Sunday Times. Their reporting, alongside a Channel 4 Dispatches investigation, brought allegations about Brand’s conduct into the public domain in 2023.

The film uses archival material and voices from people with knowledge of Brand and his career to explore how his public image developed and how the story reached its latest chapter.

Why is the Russell Brand documentary being released now?

The Netflix release follows a major development in the criminal case against Brand.

On November 5, 2026, a jury at Southwark Crown Court found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was found not guilty of two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.

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

The convictions followed a four-week trial concerning offences against four women between 2004 and 2009. Brand denied the charges and maintained that his sexual encounters had been consensual.

The timing of the documentary’s arrival means it will be watched against the background of those verdicts and the sentencing. The film’s subject is no longer simply a controversial public figure whose career has changed direction: it is now a story that includes criminal convictions and a substantial prison sentence.

Who made Russell Brand: Open Secret?

The documentary is directed by Olivia Isaacs and produced by 72 Films, a Fremantle company.

72 Films has previously made Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story, the Netflix documentary examining the life and crimes of the former television presenter.

For Russell Brand: Open Secret, the production team draws on archival footage and contributions from people who can offer insight into Brand’s life and career. The film also examines the reporting by The Times and The Sunday Times that formed an important part of the wider investigation.

Which journalists feature in the Russell Brand documentary?

The film explores the investigation conducted by journalists at The Times and The Sunday Times, including Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace.

Urwin is the newspapers’ chief media correspondent, while Wace is an investigations correspondent. Their reporting helped bring allegations against Brand into public view and contributed to the chain of events that led to the police investigation and subsequent criminal proceedings.

Their involvement gives the documentary an opportunity to examine how the story was investigated, how journalists approached the accounts they received and how the reporting developed.

The investigation became a major story in 2023, when allegations about Brand were published following a joint investigation involving the newspapers and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

What happened to Russell Brand?

Russell Brand rose to prominence as a comedian, broadcaster and actor. His work included television and radio presenting, stand-up comedy and film roles, with his Hollywood career bringing him a much wider international profile.

He later moved increasingly towards political and social commentary online. His YouTube videos and other content attracted a large audience, with Brand frequently discussing politics, media, institutions and conspiracy theories.

In September 2023, a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches published allegations of sexual misconduct involving Brand. He denied the allegations and said his relationships had been consensual.

The police investigation subsequently led to criminal charges. Following the trial in November 2026, Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, while being acquitted of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault.

He was sentenced to 10 years and six months’ imprisonment on November 9.

These court findings are an important part of the context for Open Secret, which examines the wider story behind Brand’s rise, public image and eventual criminal trial.

Is Russell Brand: Open Secret a series or a film?

Russell Brand: Open Secret is a feature-length documentary film. It is not a scripted drama or a multi-episode Netflix series.

The film brings together archival footage and contributions from people with insight into Brand’s life, alongside an examination of the journalistic investigation. Its aim is to tell the story across different periods of his public life, from his early entertainment career to the events surrounding the criminal case.

How to watch the Russell Brand documentary

The documentary will be available to stream on Netflix from Friday, November 13, 2026.

You will need access to a Netflix account to watch it. Search for Russell Brand: Open Secret on the streaming service from its release date.

Why Russell Brand: Open Secret is attracting attention

The documentary arrives at a moment when public interest in Brand’s story is particularly high. His career has spanned comedy, television, film and online political commentary, while the investigation and criminal trial have brought a different focus to his public life.

The film also revisits the work of the journalists who investigated the allegations, offering a look at how the story developed and how it reached the courts.

With its combination of archive footage, insider contributions and reporting on the investigation, Russell Brand: Open Secret promises to examine a complicated and consequential story.

Russell Brand: Open Secret premieres on Netflix on Friday, November 13, 2026.

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