Katy Perry's joke that an unnamed former partner 'should be in jail' has drawn renewed attention after her ex-husband Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assault. The singer made the remark at a concert in Oxfordshire on 1 July 2026, more than four months before the verdict. She did not identify the former partner she meant.
Perry Made the Remark During Concert Game
During a performance at Blenheim Palace, Perry invited audience members to act out reactions to different situations, including seeing a former partner. She told the crowd: 'I hope my ex isn't here. He should be in jail.' The remark was reported on 2 July, months before Brand's conviction.
Katy Perry delivered a devastating parting shot to ex-husband Russell Brand during a concert in the UK last July, saying he 'should be in jail.'
— That's The Badger! (@Thatsthebad) November 8, 2026
The Firework singer made the extraordinary remark during her appearance at the Blenheim Palace Festival in Oxfordshire when she took… pic.twitter.com/oAy7BpirAu
The exchange was part of a light-hearted audience interaction, rather than a statement identifying an individual or making a criminal allegation. Although reports have connected the comment to Brand, Perry did not name him, and there is no verified public confirmation that he was the person she had in mind.
The concert joke was reported shortly after Perry's July performance. IBTimes UK revisited the remark on 8 November, following Brand's convictions, and subsequently covered Perry's earlier description of their marriage. Brand's 9 November sentencing and a separate investigation published on 12 November have since added developments to the wider story.
Brand Sentenced after Southwark Crown Court Trial
On 5 November 2026, a jury at Southwark Crown Court convicted Brand of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. The offences took place between 2004 and 2009. The jury also acquitted him of three separate charges concerning alleged offences: two rape charges and one attempted indecent assault charge. Brand had denied the charges.
On 9 November, Mr. Justice Joel Bennathan sentenced the 51-year-old to nine years for rape and a further 18 months for the sexual assaults, giving a total prison term of 10 years and six months. The three sexual assault sentences run concurrently with one another and consecutively to the rape sentence. The judge said Brand would serve two-thirds of the term before release on licence.
The offences occurred before Brand married Perry. She was not a complainant in the proceedings, and her concert remark does not establish that she knew about the offences. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that she had not been asked to provide a witness statement.
Perry's Earlier Comments About Their Marriage
Perry and Brand married in Rajasthan, India, on 23 October 2010. Brand filed for divorce in December 2011, after approximately 14 months of marriage, and the divorce was finalised in 2012. Perry later said he had told her he wanted a divorce by text message.
In a 2013 interview with Vogue, Perry said Brand had been uncomfortable with her position as the person in charge during her concert tours. She described aspects of the relationship as 'very controlling' and said she had eventually stopped blaming herself for its breakdown. She also referred to a 'real truth' that she did not wish to disclose.
Six Additional Women Make Fresh Allegations
A separate investigation published by The Times and The Sunday Times on 12 November reported fresh allegations of sexual misconduct against Brand from six additional women. The claims include alleged non-consensual sexual activity, alleged continuation of sexual activity after consent was withdrawn, and further allegations of sexual assault and coercive behaviour.
Brand had not publicly responded to the latest allegations by the reporting deadline, according to subsequent coverage. He has previously denied sexual wrongdoing and maintained that his relationships were consensual.
Perry has not publicly confirmed which former partner she meant at the concert. No new allegation by the singer has been established in connection with Brand's criminal case.
