Simon Cowell has spoken up in support of his friend and X Factor colleague Mel B, whose heated divorce battle with ex Stephen Belafonte has been in the news this week. Simon told The Sun newspaper about mum-of-three Mel: “She’s an incredible person. If you think about what Mel’s done since leaving The Spice Girls and what she’s gone through, how hard she works and how I saw her try to handle this situation, it was astonishing. Yes, she’s under pressure but I think she’s in a good place.” He continued: "It really made me think about her as a person, what she's achieved as a working mum and how she’s managed to balance everything. I don’t think she gets the recognition she deserves.”
© Photo: Getty ImagesMel B is staying strong amidst her divorce battle with ex Stephen Belafonte
Mel filed for divorce from Stephen on 20 March and on Monday requested a temporary restraining order against him, alleging abuse in their 10-year marriage. Mel said she had attempted to leave Stephen before. "[He] threatened me with violence and threatened to destroy my life in every possible way," she said. Stephen meanwhile, is seeking spousal support from the former Spice Girl, has asked that she pay his lawyers’ fees and requested joint custody of their daughter Madison, 5.
READ: Mel B takes out restraining order against estranged husband Stephen Belafonte
In 2014, fears were raised for Mel when she was hospitalised for two days and then appeared on The X Factor final showing what seemed to be bruises. Fellow X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne appeared on US talk show The Talk on Friday and spoke about this very incident. 'Three years ago, in the final two days of X Factor, she didn't make the first day and she was in the hospital. And it was reported in all the papers that said 'allegedly' she's been beaten by her husband. And she came back for the final day and she had a black eye and bruising everywhere, but she made the final.' Stephen denied the rumours, saying on Twitter: "I don't usually respond to Twitter msgs but I will respond to comments of hitting my wife which I think are quite disgusting and untrue!"
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