Russell Brand Finally Reveals Why He Divorced Katy Perry—When Did They Marry and Split?

Russell Brand has opened up about the breakdown of his high-profile marriage to pop star Katy Perry, offering rare insight into why their union came to an end after just over a year. Speaking on his podcast Stay Free with Russell Brand, the 49-year-old comedian and presenter described their divorce as the result of 'normal human reasons' that affect many marriages, while maintaining a tone of respect for his ex-wife.

'When I was married to Katy Perry, she's not entirely normal, because she's an extraordinary, massive star, but she's not weird or off-key,' Brand said during the episode. 'The reasons that a marriage didn't work are the normal human reasons marriages don't work, and I have nothing but respect for her.'

Brand acknowledged that he and Perry had their differences, including politically. 'I obviously disagree with her political views,' he said, 'but I probably disagree with some of my wife Laura Brand's political views. So, you always disagree with people, don't ya?'

READ MORE: Katy Perry's Ex Russell Brand Accused Of Rape, Oral Rape And Assault: What You Need To Know

A Relationship Born in the Spotlight

The couple's whirlwind romance began in 2009 after meeting at the MTV Video Music Awards. Perry later shared that she had first encountered Brand a year earlier during a cameo on the film Get Him to the Greek, where the two had to kiss for a scene that was ultimately cut. Following a playful on-stage exchange at the VMAs, the two began dating and quickly became inseparable.

They announced their engagement in January 2010 after a romantic trip to India and were married in a private Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan in October of the same year. The lavish wedding reportedly cost over £1.5 million ($2 million) and was held in a tiger sanctuary with close friends and family present.

However, just 14 months later, Brand filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. In a public statement released in December 2011, he said, 'Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends.'

Perry later claimed that Brand had informed her of the divorce via text message. Speaking to Vogue in 2013, the singer said, 'Let's just say I haven't heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011.'

During that same interview, Perry suggested that Brand had struggled with her level of fame. 'At first when I met him, he wanted an equal,' she said. 'And I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they're like, "I can't handle the equalness." He didn't like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour.'

The Aftermath and Public Reflection

Despite the bitterness of the breakup, both Brand and Perry have spoken warmly of one another in more recent years. In 2023, Brand told Running Wild with Bear Grylls that their relationship felt like living in 'the eye of a cyclone' due to Perry's overwhelming fame. 'It was a little bit chaotic and a bit disconnected,' he said. 'But Katy is an amazing person.'

Perry, who now shares a daughter with fiancé Orlando Bloom, has also reflected on the emotional toll of her split from Brand. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2014, she described the divorce as 'the death of a dream'. 'I was in fairy tale land, and the reality of it wasn't so,' she added.

A Marriage Overshadowed by Controversy

According to E! Online, Brand has since remarried and has children with his current wife Laura Gallacher. He continues to speak favourably of Perry, even amid a career now marked by controversy.

In April 2025, Brand was charged by the Metropolitan Police with multiple sexual offences involving four women, including one count of rape and one count of oral rape. The alleged offences date back to between 1999 and 2005, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. Brand has denied all allegations.

Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, his revelations about his marriage to Perry have reignited public interest in the former couple's short-lived but intense relationship. According to a detailed timeline by Business Insider and Us Weekly, their love story spanned just over two years from first meeting to final separation.

Though their marriage ultimately ended in divorce, Brand's recent comments suggest a chapter not entirely closed—one marked by personal growth, mutual respect, and unresolved complexity.