After 10 years of marriage, Melanie Brown – AKA Scary Spice – has called time on her relationship with Stephen Belafonte.
According to People, court documents have been filed with Mel citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of the split which took place on December 28, 2016.
Mel also requests joint legal and physical custody for their daughter Madison, 5, and requests the spousal support she’s paying Stephen is terminated.
Strangely, Mel Instagrammed a sweet message about her love for Stephen just a month ago, in which she wrote he was her “world” and how they had “been through everything that would normally tear couples apart and we have come out the other side stronger” adding #tenyearsmarried and #theysaiditwouldntlast.
As the singer turned TV star alluded to, the couple had been plagued for years with reports that their marriage was struggling.
It was claimed they had an open relationship and that Stephen was abusive and had isolated Mel, 41, from her UK-based family leading to an eight year estrangement from her sister, Danielle and mum, Andrea.
In 2015 Mel even addressed speculation that she had been physically assaulted by Stephen after appearing on the X Factor UK with visible bruising and scratches. While Stephen said he hadn’t hurt or cheated on his wife, Mel insisted, “No, my husband didn’t hit me” and denied claims that he held her hostage in their home.
While in the past her sister Danielle has accused Stephen, 41, of being “controlling” and the reason she no longer saw Mel, it seems the sisters may have reconciled just weeks ago. Both were by their dad Martin’s bedside when he passed away after a long battle with cancer earlier this month and Mel signed off a touching Insta tribute to the 63-year-old as being from both of them.