Mel B has revealed that David Beckham thought her ‘abusive’ ex-husband Stephen Belafonte was ‘bad news’ while they were married.
The Spice Girl, 49, has detailed how her bandmate Victoria Beckham’s husband, David, 49, shared his real thoughts about her ex from their first meeting.
Mel accused Stephen of being abusive and controlling during their relationship, which she has discussed in interviews and her biography.
Stephen has denied the claims and has filed a £3.9million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, to whom he was married from 2007 to 2017 and with whom he shares daughter Madison, 13.
Mel wrote in her 2018 autobiography Brutally Honest that Stephen allegedly ‘badgered’ her into introducing him to the English football legend, leaving her ‘humiliated’.
Mel wrote: ‘David came over at some point in the late afternoon [sons] Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.
Mel B has revealed David Beckham thought her ‘abusive’ ex-husband Stephen Belafonte was ‘bad news’ while they were married
The Spice Girl, 49, has detailed that her bandmate Victoria Beckham’s husband, David, 49, said he knew Stephen was ‘bad news the moment he met him’
Mel accused Stephen of being abusive and controlling during their relationship, which she has discussed in interviews and her biography. Stephen has denied the claims and filed a £3.9 million defamation lawsuit; pictured 2016
“But while everyone rushed to cherish each other’s children, Stephen turned his eyes to David. He had been bugging me to propose to him for months.
“Let Beckham meet us,” he said every time I wanted to call Vic. “We just have to date them. Can’t you even arrange that, Melanie? I thought she was meant to be your friend.”
“They’re busy,” I told him week after week. “They’re not here.” I didn’t want to let them spend a night with Stephen. Would you?’
She continued: ‘I’ve known David since he and Vic first got together, when he was a shy twenty-one year old who was completely in love with Posh Spice.
‘Back then we would check up on each other’s boyfriends, often giving them the Spanish Inquisition when we were all together. Poor guys.
“David had an easier time than most because Vic fell for him straight away. “Don’t be mean to him,” she would say, so I would just gently tease him about his hair or his clothes – something VERY mild for me. But David is still David. He’s quite modest. There’s still that shyness in him, and he’s most relaxed around his kids.”
Mel explained, “So there he was. He said hello to everyone, we all had a chat, and then David went to the kitchen to make some ramen noodles for his sons. We left him to his fate. You could sense that he wanted some space and time with his children.
‘Stephen didn’t understand that at all. I cringed as I saw him immediately rush into the small kitchen. And out of the corner of my eye I could see that Stephen was just following David around, being loud, telling jokes, trying to get him to go out on the town with him: “What do you say we hit some bars? You probably know the best places?”
Mel wrote in her 2018 autobiography Brutally Honest that Stephen would ‘badger her into introducing’ him to the English football legend, leaving her ‘humiliated’.
Mel explained, “He said hello to everyone and then David went into the kitchen to make some ramen noodles for his sons. We left him to his fate. You could sense he wanted some space and time with his kids (pictured with Victoria)
Mel continued, “Stephen didn’t understand that at all. I cringed as I saw him immediately rush into the small kitchen. I could tell Stephen was just following David around, being loud, telling jokes, I could tell he was laughing at David.
Mel added: “I know he was bad news the moment I met him,” David later told my mother. Stephen didn’t get the hint. Humiliatingly, I watched one of the assistants walk up to my husband and suggest that David get “some time with his boys.”
She concluded, “I didn’t want to look at the other girls. I didn’t want to look at Stephen being mad at me for not making it right.”
“I could also tell he was laughing at David.”
Mel added: “I know he was bad news the moment I met him,” David later told my mother. Stephen didn’t get the hint.
‘Humbling, I saw one of the assistants walk up to my husband and suggest that David get ‘some time with his boys’.
‘I didn’t want to look at the other girls. I didn’t want to look at Stephen being mad at me for not making amends.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Mel B, Stephen and David for comment.
In September, Mel B’s legal team asked to have Stephen’s £3.9million defamation lawsuit dismissed but the request was rejected, The Mirror reported.
According to the newspaper, Stephen said: ‘I am prepared to prove that Melanie’s statements about me are false.’
In their motion to dismiss the case, Mel B’s lawyers said: “Brown should never have been sued for an exercise of [her] constitutional rights.”
The film producer is suing Mel B, claiming she “waged a deliberate and extensive campaign to cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation,” it was revealed in May.
Stephen, 49, claims Mel began her “long-term harassment” in 2017 with “fraudulent” domestic violence claims, which he claims were ultimately dismissed.
But he later admitted: ‘The damage had already been done. As a result of false allegations of rape, illegal gun possession, sex trafficking, production of illegal pornography, domestic violence and child endangerment, Mr. Belafonte lost access to his home and children.
In September, Mel B’s legal team asked to have Stephen’s £3.9million defamation lawsuit dismissed, but it was rejected.
Stephen, 49, claims Mel began her ‘long-term harassment’ in 2017 with ‘fraudulent’ domestic violence claims, which he claims were ultimately dismissed
‘The American film producer is suing Mel for ‘participating in a deliberate and extensive campaign to cause him serious emotional distress and destroy his reputation’.
In May, Mel B received an honorary doctorate for her campaign for victims of domestic violence.
She said the prize was “as big” as performing at Wembley Stadium with the Spice Girls.
Appearing on Loose Women in March, Mel B revealed that she was still suffering from panic attacks and PTSD five years after leaving Stephen, and had previously tried to end her marriage six or seven times.
Mel spoke about Loose Women and appeared on the show during their Facing It Together campaign, which aims to raise awareness of domestic violence.
Over the years, Mel B has accused him of physical, emotional and financial abuse, which he denies.
Mel told the panel that she was reluctant to leave Belafonte because she had completely excluded herself from her family.
She said: ‘Although I was married for ten years, I tried to leave six or seven times. I went back because of fear or blackmail.
‘You think: ‘What should I do when I leave? I haven’t spoken to my mother in weeks, then a month, then years.’ It happens so gradually.’
Over the years, Mel B has accused Stephen Belafonte of physical, emotional and financial abuse, which he denies (pictured in 2015)
The film producer is suing Mel, claiming she ‘participated in a deliberate and massive campaign to cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation’ (pictured in June)
‘You have the feeling that you are doing everything wrong and that feeling is stimulated. “I went from a mansion in LA to my mom’s bungalow with my kids.”
Mel also appeared on the show to discuss the release of a revised version of her autobiography Brutally Honest.
She said: ‘Writing the book was cathartic. But in 2018 it was a taboo subject and no publisher wanted it.”
Speaking about the dark period in her life, which was plagued by financial stress, she said: ‘People will assume, ‘She’s rich, she’s a Spice Girl.’
‘But I went from performing thousands at Wembley on the Spice Girls’ 13-date Reunion Tour in 2019 to squeezing into my mother’s house while my children slept in my bed.
‘I didn’t expect this to happen at 40 after a successful career, but I had nowhere else to go because my relationship had hit me so hard financially that I had to pick up the pieces.’
Mel spent five years saving and moved to a converted farmhouse in West Yorkshire in October.
In addition to her work with the Spice Girls, Mel had rebuilt her fortune by landing lucrative jobs on American television shows such as the American version of Strictly Come Dancing – Dancing with the Stars – and as a judge on America’s Got Talent while she was in Los Angeles.
She also appeared as a judge on The X Factor in Britain before moving back home for good.
Mel B has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.