Marilyn Manson Unmasked: the allegations explained - and how to watch Channel 4 documentary

• Channel 4’s latest major documentary is Marilyn Manson: Unmasked.
• The three part series will air nightly this week.
• It explores the serious allegations made against rock star Marilyn Manson.

For a time Marilyn Manson was almost an inescapable musical phenomenon. His shock rock stylings powered him to three platinum records.

It is more than likely you have heard his cover of Tainted Love - which became an international chart topping hit in the early 2000s. But in 2021 he was accused of sexual assault and abuse.

The allegations are the subject of a new documentary series airing on Channel 4 this week. Here’s all you need to know:

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When is Marilyn Manson: Unmasked on TV?

The three-part documentary will air on Channel 4 across consecutive nights between Tuesday (January 14) and Thursday (January 16). Each episode will start at 10pm and run for 65 minutes, finishing at 11.05pm, including ad-breaks.

With its heavy subject matter, it is not a surprise that the documentary is airing after the watershed and at such a late time. It will also be available to watch as a boxset on the on demand service Channel 4 (formerly 4OD/ All4).

What is Marilyn Manson: Unmasked about?

The documentary series will follow the meteoric rise of goth rock superstar Marilyn Manson - real name Brian Warner - and the controversy surrounding his fall from grace. It will feature both the voices of some of his accusers as well as Manson's allies.

What allegations have been made against Marilyn Manson?

In 2021, Marilyn Manson was accused of abuse by his former fiancée Evan Rachel Wood, Billboard reports. Wood and Manson had dated when she was 18 and he was 36.

She had previously talked about an abuser without naming them, but in a now-deleted Instagram post on February 1 of that year she came forward and publicly named Manson as that abuser.

Other women also came forward with allegations against Manson, sharing their experiences of “horrific” abuse in an article with Vanity Fair, that same month. They claim to have been victims of sexual assault, psychological abuse, and/or various forms of coercion, violence, and intimidation.

Manson denied the allegations labelling them “horrible distortions of reality”. A civil lawsuit was filed by five women, while Manson has also sued Wood and Ashley "Illma" Gore for defamation.

His lawsuit with Wood was dropped in November 2024, with The Guardian reporting that Manson would be paying her $327,000 in attorneys fees.

Will you be watching Marilyn Manson: Unmasked on Channel 4 this week? Let me know by email: [email protected].