Russell Brand forced to cancel Middle East leg of his Messiah Complex tour amid safety concerns

Russell Brand will not perform his new show The Messiah Complex at mosques in the Middle East after safety concerns were raised (Getty Images)

Comedian Russell Brand has cancelled several gigs in the Middle East after promoters said they could not guarantee his safety.

The controversial star's Messiah Complex world tour includes routines inspired by historical figures including Malcolm X and Gandhi and originally included dates in Abu Dhabi and Lebanon, but they have now been scrapped.

Brand told Radio 5 Live's Richard Bacon show: "The venues contacted us to say we can no longer guarantee your safety."

Earlier this week, his ex-wife, Katy Perry, revealed that Brand told her he was divorcing her in a text message.

The couple split just 14 months after getting married in India in 2010.

The 28-year-old pop star told the US edition of Vogue magazine that Brand, 38, was not comfortable with the singer being his equal.

"Let's just say I haven't heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31 2011," she told the magazine.

Perry said the British comedian was "hysterical in some ways until he started making jokes about me" when he did not know that she was in the audience at one of his shows.

PA