Just because you meet the girl of your dreams, doesn't mean you should neglect your mates. Good then that Russell Brand got the chance to catch up with some of his London-based pals on his return from the States this week. The Essex-born comic, who has been busy cementing his blossoming romance with I Kissed A Girl singer Katy Perry, joined pals Jonathan Ross and Noel Gallagher at a music industry awards ceremony. And since he usually goes to Oasis songwriter Noel with his relationship woes, the Manchester musician was no doubt pleased to hear some good news on the love front from his pal.
Other topics of conversation were sure to include the break up of Noel's band and Jonathan Ross' plans to take his chat show to the US. Though they may have avoided talking about the incident with Andrew Sachs, during which Radio 2 colleagues Jonathan and Russell caused a media storm by leaving inappropriate messages on the Faulty Towers actor's answer phone.
Russell recently told a British newspaper that he felt resigning after what happened in October 2008 was the only way forward. "I thought, 'I don't have to do that radio show, I'm only doing it for a laugh and it’s become not a laugh.' And then it was a relief," he said.
The comic, who saw his friend Jonathan presented with an award by George Michael at the ceremony, is in a different place right now. Rapidly carving out a film career for himself, he's currently preparing for his next big project. He's to play the title role in a remake of Dudley Moore classic Arthur, for which he'll have to cut his trademark hair. And of course, there's the new lady in his life. He is reluctant to talk about her – "she's lovely and I don't want her to read anything about herself," he told the Sunday Times. But his agenda has clearly changed. "I am living in a different way at the moment. Regardless of what happens in my current situation, I am unlikely to be satisfied with the calamitous promiscuity of the preceding five or six years," says the 34-year-old.
