Brand lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, Katy Perry.[64] They have a cat, which he named after the singer Morrissey, of whom Brand is a big fan.[65] He has been a vegetarian since the age of 14,[66] and is a fan of football and a supporter of West Ham United; Brand says that his love of football is "intrinsically about my relationship with my father".[67] He dresses in a flamboyant bohemian fashion, describing himself as looking like an "S&M Willy Wonka".[68] He has bipolar disorder,[69] and he has suffered from bulimia,[66] and also went through a period of self-harm.[70] Brand has shown interest in the Hare Krishna Movement and chants the Hare Krishna mantra for drug rehabilitation.[71] During an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on her show in October 2010, Brand talked about his love of the Transcendental Meditation technique.[72][73]
Brand is a former heroin and sex addict and a recovering alcoholic. He has had numerous run-ins with the police, having been arrested 11 times.[74] During the time of his addiction, he was known for his debauchery. Brand was ejected from The Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh,[75] and he infamously introduced his drug dealer to Kylie Minogue during his time at MTV.[76] He has abstained from drug use since 2002 and is now a patron of the addiction charity Focus 12.[77] His abandonment of drugs and alcohol was instigated by his agent, John Noel, after Brand was caught taking heroin in a bathroom during his Christmas party.[78] Brand regularly attends AA and NA meetings.[79]
After a string of high-profile relationships, Brand developed a reputation in the media as a ladies' man. His dating life won him The Sun's Shagger Of The Year award in 2006,[80] 2007,[81] and 2008. The award has been renamed "The Russell Brand Shagger Of The Year Award" in honour of Brand having won three years in a row.[82] In January 2009, Brand and several other celebrities wrote to The Independent (as supporters of the Hoping Foundation) to condemn Israel's assault on Gaza, and the "cruel and massive loss of life of the citizens of Gaza".[83] In February 2009, Brand and several other entertainers wrote to The Times defending Bahá'í leaders then on trial in Iran.[84] In April 2009, he attended the 2009 G-20 London summit protests and spoke to the press.[85][86]
Brand first met American singer/songwriter Katy Perry in summer 2008[87] when Perry filmed a cameo for Brand's film Get Him to the Greek. Brand and Perry began dating after meeting again in September 2009[88] at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Brand, as host, remarked "Katy Perry didn't win an award and she's staying at the same hotel as me, so she's gonna need a shoulder to cry on. So in a way, I'm the real winner tonight." Perry claims she threw a bottle of water at Brand to get his attention and then they went clubbing together the same night.[89] The couple became engaged in December 2009 when Brand proposed to Perry while on a holiday in India.[90][91][92] The couple married on 23 October 2010 in a traditional Hindu ceremony, near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan, India, the same location where Brand proposed.[93][94]
On 16 September 2010, Brand was arrested on suspected battery charges after he allegedly attacked a paparazzo who blocked his and Perry's way to catch a flight at the Los Angeles International Airport.[95][96] On 17 September 2010, he was released from custody after posting $20,000 bail. Footage of the incident was later sent to TMZ.[97] Perry later defended Brand's actions, and offered an insight into the reasons for his outburst, posting on Twitter that, "If you cross the line & try and put a lens up my dress, my fiancé will do his job & protect me."[98]
