With Netflix under fire, the streaming service is keeping Russell Brand‘s Re:Birth special in its library after his rape conviction. The company has stopped recommending the program and hidden it from its search function, but has not removed it entirely.

Brand was sentenced Monday to a total of 10 years and six months. He was convicted last week of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

Netflix Under Fire Over Streaming Decision

The platform confirmed the special’s reduced visibility while leaving it available, according to Page Six’s report. A Netflix source explained its position to Deadline by emphasizing subscribers’ choices.

“We prioritize choice and control for our members: the freedom to watch what, how and when you want, with recommendations and ratings to inform those choices,” the source said.

That response leaves a distinction between retaining the special and actively promoting it. Netflix says subscribers will not receive recommendations for Re:Birth, and the title is hidden from search.

The decision puts Netflix under fire following the comedian’s conviction and sentencing. Earlier coverage followed the opening of Brand’s London trial and testimony from an accuser’s friend.

A Special About Becoming A Parent

First released in 2018, Re:Birth featured Brand discussing parenthood, political activism and his previous promiscuous lifestyle. Critics gave the show mixed reviews, according to the report.

The comedian asked how people understand the “madness of our lives” once they become parents. He also questioned what he would tell his daughter about conformity and responsibility.

“What happens if she grows up to be like me? Or, worse, to date someone like me?” Brand asked during the special. Another joke described the birth of his eldest child in explicit terms.

Brand’s daughter Mabel was born in November 2016. He married her mother, Laura Gallacher, in August 2017, and the couple share three children.

Their second daughter, Peggy, was born in July 2018, and they welcomed a son in 2023. Gallacher supported Brand throughout his trial and attended Monday’s sentencing at Southwark Crown Court.

Custody And A Further Allegation

Brand was remanded into custody after his conviction Friday and will remain on the sex offenders registry for life. He is being held at HMP Wandsworth in London before a transfer to another facility.

Kally Sahota, Senior Solicitor and Director of Sahota & Sahota Solicitors, told Page Six how that placement would be determined. It would depend on “safety, security and rehabilitation needs,” Sahota said.

Page Six also reported that another woman in the US had come forward with allegations against Brand. The woman was communicating with attorney Gloria Allred about her options, according to the outlet.

Related coverage examines Leven Rambin’s account of Hollywood. Netflix’s stated position on Re:Birth remains that the special will stay in its library without recommendations or search visibility.