I’m thankful she’s alive Mel B’s mum tells of relief star is ‘finally safe’ after order to pay for ex
MEL B’s mother says she is relieved her daughter is alive after the Spice Girl’s split from Stephen Belafonte.
Andrea Brown made the extraordinary comments as it emerged Mel has been ordered to pay £30,000 a month to Belafonte by a US court.
That has enraged Mel’s mum, prompting her to speak out about the couple’s turbulent relationship which has led to allegations her former son-inlaw physically and emotionally abused the 42-year-old singer.
American Belafonte, also 42, has always denied claims of domestic abuse.
Andrea tweeted: “Have 2 b thankful my daughter alive after 10yrs of worry she’s finely safe #more important than money.”
But she is furious that Mel has been forced to hand money to Belafonte, saying: “This would never happen in England disgusted with this news.”
SQUANDER
Leeds-born Mel, 42, filed for divorce from Belafonte in March, saying she had suffered “emotional and physical abuse”.
An LA judge granted film producer Belafonte’s request for emergency spousal support to cover basic amenities including food, housing and phone bills, according to a US website.
This comes despite Mel “squandering” the bulk of her multimillion pound fortune during their 10-year marriage.
But Simon Cowell confirmed this week Mel’s job on America’s Got Talent was safe.
Sources also say bosses at NBC have agreed a pay rise for Mel who will now earn £1.3million per season of the talent show – bringing her in line with co-judge Heidi Klum’s pay.
The news will go some way to ease her money worries.
Simon hired Mel as an X Factor judge in 2014 before her move to AGT.
Speaking at his record company’s summer party this week, Simon, 57, praised the star for her show of strength during her bitter divorce battle.
He said: “She was soaking it all up. She only told me about it two days before she served the divorce papers.
“I didn’t know this was going on – and her dad had also just passed away. She is amazing. No drama, nothing.”
Simon, who judges with Mel on America’s Got Talent, added the mum of three does not receive as much recognition as the other Spice Girls.
He said: “She is the one who hasn’t had the credit compared to the other Spice Girls. She needs something like a strong woman role model award because Victoria is getting all the credit.”
Two months ago it was reported that in a bust-up before the 2014 X Factor final, film producer Belafonte, her husband of 10 years, had wrongly accused her of having an affair with Simon. The spat is alleged to have happened before Mel made an appearance on the ITV show covered in bruises. Belafonte has a daughter, Madison, six, with Mel. Their former nanny Lorraine Gilles, 27, has denied claims of an affair with him.
Last week, the Sunday Mirror told how the singer had asked Simon to reassure her she has a long-term job on AGT because she was only contracted for another year. She has also asked friends to help her raise £1.5million to buy a new home in America. Now Simon has secured her position on the hit show, insisting he won’t be changing any of his panellists in Britain and America.
At the Syco summer soiree in London this week, he said: “The whole America’s Got Talent panel, Mel, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel, they are brilliant. Now, as with Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor, there is no point in changing it, you’re not going to get better than that.”