Just over a month before Russell Brand officially announced his split from Katy Perry, the Brit comic filmed himself jokingly taking off his wedding ring.

Recap: The Arthur star filed for divorce from his wife of 14 months on December 30, citing "irreconcilable differences".

"Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage," he said in a statement. "I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends."

The news followed months of tabloid speculation over the state of their union, which was laughed off by the couple.

Brand issued a denial that a split was on the horizon during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in early December.

"I am really happily married," he said.

He added: 'I've treated the whole internet now as a wicked little liar. I am really happily married.

"Being famous is like a little bit of you is taken away and goes off and lives on its own and does what it wants.

"I wish it would do more interesting things."

Perry also denied her marriage was on the rocks.

"First I'm pregnant & then I'm divorced. What am I All My Children?! #ericakane #pshhh #ifihadadollar foreverytime ..." she wrote on December 1.

The couple also spent the festive season apart, following a "furious argument".

Brand was spotted spending Christmas Day in a pub in Cornwall, while wife Perry soaked up some tropical sun in Hawaii - sans wedding ring.

A source told Us Weekly: "They had a massive fight. She was like, 'F**k you. I'm going to do my own thing,' and Russell said, 'Fine, f**k you too!"

You know the rest.

'I'm going to place this somewhere very, very safe... '

And now gums are flapping over a video showing Brand removing his wedding ring (clearly in the name of comedy) in November.

In the YouTube video, which he posted on porn website Nudevista to promote an upcoming American college tour, Brand jokingly makes a show of slipping off his wedding band.

The 36-year-old quips in the clip: "I am going to meet people from sororities and fraternities. I don't know what a sorority is except for what I have seen on Nudevista - that they are sort of sex clubs for women."

Slipping off his finger bling, he adds: "This is going to be a week of revolution, a week of occupation, and, more important, I'm going to learn firsthand about sororities. I'm going to place this somewhere very, very safe for the next week."

Perry was clearly in on the gag at the time. She tweeted her support for Brand's tour.

"My fowl [sic] mouthed Hubby @rustyrockets is playing a few mid-west/east-coast shows starting tonight onwards! SUPPORT!" she wrote, while linking to the video.

No doubt a jovial rib-tickler at the time, but in hindsight, and given the wedding band's permanent removal, the promo's just a smidge awkward.

Brand has kept a low-profile since the split announcement, eschewing any Twitter activity.

Watch Brand's promo video below:

'NO ONE speaks for me...'

Perry, on the other hand, has piped up to thank her fans for their support.

On Saturday, Perry took to Twitter to say: "Concerning the gossip, I want to be clear that NO ONE speaks for me. Not a blog, magazine, 'close sources' or my family.

"I am so grateful for all the love and support I've had from people around the world. You guys have made my heart happy again."

She also announced that she's pulling out of an appearance at Wednesday's People's Choice Awards.

She gave no explanation for backing out. But if the tabs are to be believed, she's otherwise engaged. As in high-tailing it to the UK for "showdown talks" with her estranged hubby.

A snitch tells Gracia magazine: "Katy was absolutely crushed by Russell's decision. She's furious after everything he's done, but still insists there must be a way to reconcile and try to work things out.

"She told Russell that if he'd agreed to marriage counselling, they wouldn't be in this mess and tried to persuade him to fly back to the States and meet her.

"She's now considering jetting to the UK as she's desperate to see him and talk to him. She said she can't stand that everything has been done over the phone and says she needs to see him before she can truly accept it's over."

- Blogger Bites Back