Netflix keeps Russell Brand special but ends promotion

Netflix will keep Russell Brand’s 2018 stand-up special Re:Birth on its platform, but says it will stop actively promoting or recommending the program to subscribers. The decision follows Brand’s conviction for rape and three counts of sexual assault and his sentence of 10 years and six months in prison.

A Netflix source said the company prioritises members’ choice and control, with recommendations and ratings intended to inform viewing decisions. The special, recorded at London’s Hackney Empire, will remain available, though the company says it will not be actively promoted.

Reports describe different ways viewers could locate the program after the changes. One account said it did not appear in searches for Brand’s name but could be found by searching for British stand-up comedy. Another reported it could be found by misspelling his surname as “Band” or through Google. Those observations indicate that the special remained accessible through some routes, rather than being removed from the service.

Brand was convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others in offences between 2004 and 2009. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on November 9, 2026. The...