Is Katy Perry pregnant? 'Hell, no!'

Super broody and pregnant? "Hell, no!" says Katy Perry.

While she's made no secret of her desire to start a family with husband Russell Brand, the 27-year-old pop singer has trashed tabloid talk she's expecting her first child.

Rumours have been swirling that the Firework singer's in the pudding club after her appearance at the American Music Awards on Sunday. To the casual observer (and trigger-happy conclusion-jumper), her figure-hugging pink dress appeared to show a baby bump.

The New York Post also reported that Perry, who ends her California Dreams tour this week, has told her management team she plans to spend a year away from her career to "work on her family".

And days after celebrating her first wedding anniversary, Perry fuelled the baby talk during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, revealing that she "would love to have children".

"I think that's one of the reasons you get married," she said. "Especially to the person you marry. You think, that person is going to be a good partner, a good parent. But, I'm not sure it's time yet. We'll see, ya know?"

Asked if she'd like many kids, she replied: "If it doesn't hurt the first time, I'll keep popping them out!

"It will hurt: I've heard that it hurts," quipped DeGeneres. "Word around town is it hurts!"

But Perry, who got hitched to Brand, 36, last October, has piped up to deny reports she's expecting.

"Hell, no!" she told Hollyscoop at the AMAs, where she bagged an achievement award for having five No. 1 singles from the same album, Teenage Dream.

"I still love drinking alcohol, so [no kids] yet," she chirped in an interview with The Insider's Kevin Frazier.

"I like In-N-Out Burger and Taco Bell, and if you want to make that pregnant, that's your problem."

So what's the deal with the persistent preggo talk?

"Because there's that saying, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage," added Perry.

During a concert at Madison Square Garden last week, Perry told fans that any frontal protrusion she was sporting was purely down to chomping on too much "NYC Pizza".

Meanwhile, Perry's marriage continues to be dogged by speculation it's on the skids. Britain's Mail On Sunday stirs that despite Perry's public declaration that kids may be on the horizon, she's "privately telling friends her marriage is in trouble".

The Mail spouts that Perry has confided in musician Tore Nissen, who is playing in a support act on her tour.

"Tore has been a shoulder to cry on for Katy," says a snitch.

"They get along well, so much so that his girlfriend became suspicious and joined him on the tour."

Oh yes, it's most definitely arched, folks - my tried and trusted cynical eyebrow.

And feel free to wag a judgmental finger at In Touch mag for its persistent attempts to send the newlyweds on a toboggan ride to Splitsville.

"At this point, it appears a split is inevitable for the newlyweds," booms the mag, citing Brand's friendship with Brit comedian Sadie Turner as a deal-breaker.

Turner "thinks Russell's relationship with Katy is doomed!" blabs a cackling mole.

Really? No. Pull the other one.

"Sadie is one of his friends through his programme at AA," a source tells Gossip Cop, while scoffing at the tabloid's "laughable" report.

Har-de-har, indeed. And a chorus of guffaws for good measure.

- Blogger Bites Back