Mel B says ‘shame’ stopped her talking to Spice Girls band mates about past domestic abuse

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Mel B said she felt ‘ashamed’ to speak out about domestic abuse to those closes to her such as her Spice Girls band mates.

The singer appears in a short film called Love Should Not Hurt, which depicts the realities of domestic violence.

In the film, directed by composer Fabio D’Andrea, her partner is also seen spying on the star, depicting the part coercive control can play in abuse.

The Spice Girls star appeared on Monday’s Good Morning Britain to talk about her part in the campaign and share some of her own experiences.

Asked by host Adil Ray whether she reached out to her fellow Spice Girls or other friends about what she was going through, Mel confessed she felt ‘guilty’ and unable to speak out.

She added that she had to put on a front to the world in her professional life as she was ’embarrassed’.

Mel B, real name Melanie Brown, said on the show: ‘This is the thing, you don’t want to discuss it because, like I’ve said before and I’ve written it in my book, you’re riddled with shame, and guilt and you’re embarrassed.

‘You don’t think anybody’s gonna believe you because your abuser is constantly bringing you down, constantly calling you names, constantly making you feel worthless which has a knock on effect with how you present yourself to the world, to friends, to family.

‘You want to hide that as much as possible which, back then I didn’t know there was such help or people that had gone through a similar thing to me. So that’s why I’ve teamed up with Women’s Aid and been a patron, and speaking to women that have been through all this kind of stuff that is very similar to me.’

She went on: ‘That’s why this video is so important because it’s not just my story, it’s pieces of my story but it’s every woman’s story, everybody’s voice. We are dealing with an epidemic.’

The Wannabe singer spoke briefly about her new relationship with ‘someone who is understanding’ but insisted she won’t be publicising it.

‘I’m with somebody who is very kind, very honest, very loving and that’s what I need. I need somebody understanding,’ she said.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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