Mel B celebrates buying new home with own money after leaving abusive relationship

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Mel B has celebrated buying a new home with her own money, seven years after her cut up from her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte, who she has alleged was abusive.

Belafonte has repeatedly denied the claims in opposition to him made by the singer. They reached a non-public settlement out of court docket.

The Spice Girls star, 48, mentioned she was “overwhelmed” when getting the keys to her home.

She wrote on Instagram: “I want to share it with other survivors like me, coz all YOU survivors out there will know how emotional this moment is. Five mins ago a man arrived at my door with a set of keys. They are the keys to my new home. A house I bought with the money I’ve worked bloody hard to pay for…

“In 2019 I had to come back to Leeds with NOTHING in my bank account.

“The money from the Spice Girls tour went on ENDLESS lawyers fees his and mine. Still being drained by my ex, non-stop demands for more more more.”

Mel B, born Melanie Brown, claimed that her ex’s “mission was to destroy me mentally spiritually and financially”, including that she “wasn’t gonna let that happen”.

Brown cut up from her movie producer ex-husband Stephen Belafonte in 2017 after a decade.

In 2018, she printed a e book, Brutally Honest, by which she detailed partly the abuse she allegedly suffered whereas in a relationship with Belafonte.

In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Brown mentioned: “I felt so much self-hate… I’d lied to so many people. Then I felt very angry that I’d let that person get away with all that for 10 years.”

She mentioned her sense of disgrace was amplified resulting from how she was perceived by the general public – as a assured, loud and outgoing girl, “Scary Spice” – and that she was nonetheless trying to work out why it took her so lengthy to go away the relationship.

“I tried to leave seven times, so you can imagine how desperate I was in those 10 years,” she mentioned.

“I didn’t have anywhere to go, I didn’t have my own credit card, I didn’t have a car, I’ve got three kids, I was very on the edge of self-destruction.”

Brown, initially from Leeds, gained 5 Brit Awards and scored 9 UK primary singles alongside her fellow Spice Girls – Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Horner.

After the group went on hiatus in 2000, she established herself as a TV character and expertise present choose, with appearances on The X Factor, Celebrity Juice and America’s Got Talent.

She has additionally labored extensively with home violence charity Women’s Aid.