Quick summary
- Netflix released the documentary Russell Brand Open Secret on Friday 13 November, days after the comedian was sentenced.
- Russell Brand was found guilty on 5 November of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women, and sentenced on 9 November to 10 years and six months, according to The Independent.
- Georgina Baillie says in the film that she felt like “the most hated person in Britain” after Sachsgate, yet she wrote a character reference for his sentencing.
- The Metropolitan Police are still investigating further alleged rapes, and files are with the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Russell Brand Open Secret documentary arrived on Netflix on Friday 13 November, just over a week after a London jury convicted the comedian of rape and sexual assault. Variety reports the film traces his rise to fame and his later pivot to political commentary while rumours about his behaviour grew. Brand was sentenced on Monday 9 November to 10 years and six months in prison.
What the Russell Brand Open Secret documentary covers
According to Variety, the film starts before his fame, around 1999, when he was an out-of-work actor teaching at a London language school. A former pupil, Amanda Alguero Alejos, says in the documentary that they dated and that as his profile grew “there were too many girls around him all the time”. Brand has said publicly that he has been sober since 2002.
The film also follows his career turns. Variety then describes his move into politics after his divorce from Katy Perry, first presenting as a figure of the left and later recycling conspiracy theories for an audience on the right.
Ex-girlfriend Jordan Martin appears in the film and makes allegations of controlling and abusive behaviour. These are her claims as reported by Variety. The Sunday Times reporters who first published the allegations say Brand’s lawyers answered their request for comment by describing a “deeply concerning agenda” against an alternative media broadcaster.
Georgina Baillie on Sachsgate and her reference
The strongest reaction so far has come from Baillie, the granddaughter of actor Andrew Sachs. In 2008, Brand and Jonathan Ross left lewd voicemails on Sachs’s answering machine during a BBC Radio 2 show. The Independent reports Brand resigned, Ross was suspended for three months and the BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom.
In the documentary, Baillie, now 41, says she was “made into a villain” and compares her treatment with the outcome for the two men. She also describes seeing a billboard for Brand’s stand-up show that used the scandal as material.
Baillie nonetheless wrote a character reference that was presented to the judge. She wrote that in a casual, consensual relationship Brand “never behaved aggressively, coercively or without regard to my wishes”. The Independent notes she has described that relationship as 12 casual encounters over a year. Our explainer on her reference has more.
Reaction around the verdict
Yahoo, citing a TMZ video, reports Perry did not answer questions about Brand while out with Justin Trudeau. Yahoo says she has made no public statement on the case. Reports of a book or documentary from her are attributed to unnamed sources and remain unconfirmed.
Writing in The Spectator, a columnist argued the audience that once celebrated Brand has disappeared. It also mentions allegations against David Walliams, which he denies. For more, see everything we have published on Russell Brand.
What happens next
The Independent says Brand is expected to serve two-thirds of his sentence before release on licence and will be on the sex offenders’ register for life. The Metropolitan Police are still investigating other alleged rapes, and charging files are being considered by the Crown Prosecution Service. No charging decision has been announced. Our earlier report covers the new allegations and the police position.
Frequently asked questions
What is Russell Brand: Open Secret?
It is a Netflix documentary released on 13 November 2026. Variety describes it as an account of Brand’s rise to fame and his move into political commentary as rumours about his behaviour intensified.
What was Russell Brand convicted of?
A jury found him guilty on 5 November of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women between 2004 and 2009. He was acquitted of three other charges, according to Yahoo.
How long is his sentence?
He was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on 9 November. The Independent says he is expected to serve two-thirds before release on licence.
Is Brand facing further investigation?
Yes. The Independent reports the Metropolitan Police are investigating further alleged rapes, with files under consideration by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Sources
- Variety: Russell Brand: Open Secret revelations
- The Independent: Georgina Baillie on feeling like the most hated person in Britain
- The Independent: Baillie reveals how she felt after Sachsgate
- Yahoo: Katy Perry seemingly ignores Russell Brand question
- The Spectator: The joke’s over for David Walliams and Russell Brand
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