Leeds' former Spice Girl Mel B opened up to Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain (GMB) in a candid interview on Monday, 17th May.
The singer shared her own experiences of domestic abuse with the presenter, appearing on the TV show to talk about her work with Women's Aid.
Mel has just released a new music video about domestic violence, in which she appears battered and bruised. Called Love Should Not Hurt, it was created in partnership with classical composer Fabio D'Andrea.
The new release is inspired by her conversations with other survivors of domestic abuse at a refuge in Leeds and the impact of lockdown on their situation.
Through it, she aims to highlight the different forms of abuse victims can suffer at the hands of loved ones.
The Guardian
Speaking to Susanna on GMB this morning, Mel said: "There were around 20 women sitting cross-legged on the floor and we all told our story. I told mine, then one woman went: ‘Oh my God, I went through the same thing. He took my car keys away on week three.’ We all had exactly the same story.”
"You just don't really know how to get out, or how to deal with it.
"There's a lot of shame and I'm saying lift that shame up."
She said the song, called Love Should Not Hurt, and its video were also inspired by her own experiences with ex-husband Stephen Belafonte.
During the course of their decade-long marriage, she accuses him of subjecting her to sustained “emotional and physical abuse” - a charge which he denies.
"The only way out is to kind of sporadically run and you don't even know where you're going or where you're going to get the help, you probably don't even have your own phone anymore and your friends probably haven't heard from you in months.” Mel continued on GMB.
"We really wanted to highlight how it can just escalate very very quickly to you feeling so trapped and alone.
Page Six
"I thought it was normal to not have my phone, normal to not have cash or a credit card on me, because I was told I lose things, everything was justifiable.”
Known for her Scary Spice persona, Mel B split from her ex-husband in 2018 after ten years together.
Now living back in Leeds with her mum Andrea and her eldest daughters, she revealed in a Guardian interview that at times she feared Belafonte would kill her.
She is now encouraging the Women's Aid film to be shared to raise awareness.
Speaking about the project, Mel B said: “I’m so incredibly proud to be part of this project which means so much to me because this is a collaboration of three things that are so important in my life. Music, dance and a way to highlight the ever-increasing issue of violence towards women.
“It seems strange to say I am proud of showing something so brutal and disturbing but it is my mission to raise awareness of something so many women go through every day, every week, every month of their lives.
“I have had my own experiences of abusive relationships but as patron of Women’s Aid I have spoken to so many other women, listened to what they have gone through and I know how very real the danger is to so many women out there and I’m not going to stop breaking the silence and the shame around this subject because it’s too much and we have to stand up and do something.
“This performance represents the stories and the experiences of those women I have met, spoken to or heard about.
“My heart breaks for every single woman and child who suffers from some form of domestic abuse. I want this to count for all victims of abuse. I want to help raise awareness, raise money and do anything I can to put a stop to this epidemic.”
UK News
New BBC TV drama starring Bel Powley and Harley Squires to be filmed in Leeds this spring
The BBC has announced a brand-new crime drama set to be filmed in Leeds and Hull.
We all love a BBC drama, and luckily for us one is about to be filmed right here in Leeds.
The new drama will be titled Shy & Lola, starring Harley Squires from The Night Manager and Bel Powley from The Diary of A Teenage Girl.
The six-part series has been described as a "dark comedy" about two women caught up in a murder in the criminal underworld.
The plot follows an unassuming pair in a small coastal town in northern England where the pair both realise they have a hidden talent for crime.
The series synopsis states: "As they build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, opposing futures beckon – using their earnings to fund a fresh start, or becoming the new bosses in town."
The show is based on a popular French TV series and is written by Amanda Coe, an acclaimed English screenwriter and novelist.
Amanda Coe spoke about the announcement: "With such a rich and spiky central relationship at its core, Shy & Lolais a dream of a show to write, full of fun, action and emotion. I can't wait to see our hugely exciting cast and director bring it to life."
Rachelle Constant, executive Producer for Clerkenwell Films, said: "Amanda has written a brilliantly bold series centred on a dynamic female duo, which blends dark comedy with propulsive storytelling.We’re thrilled to have Hayley and Bel as our leads, alongside an exceptional cast and crew."
The new series will begin filming in Leeds and Hull this spring and will air on BBC One and iPlayer and we'll absolutely be tuning in.
Yorkshire actor Robert Aramayo scoops BAFTA alongside other ‘surprise’ northern winners
Clementine Hall
Hull-born Robert Aramayo was one of the well-deserved winners at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards last night.
Robert Aramayo, 33, took home the coveted Best Actor BAFTA last night (February 22) for his role in I Swear, a biographical drama based on the real life story of John Davidson, a Scottish man with Tourette syndrome.
It's a huge win for the Yorkshire actor, as he was up against major Hollywood heavyweights including Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo Dicaprio (One Battle After Another) and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon).
Not only did he scoop up the Best Actor award, but he also bagged the coveted Rising Star award which was the only one determined by public vote.
Originally from Hull, Robert graduated from the famous Juilliard School in New York and has since built up a number of film credits including Elrong in The Lord of The Rings.
Receiving his dazzling award, Aramayo said: "This is really scary, last time I was at Bafta I dropped the award, so hopefully this will go better.
“I can’t believe this, it really blows my mind. John Davidson is the most remarkable person I’ve ever met and he believes there is so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s."
He continued: “In the words of the film, they need support and understanding. This means the world to me, I can’t believe it.”
And it doesn't stop there for surprise northern winners, as Manchester-raised actress Wunmi Mosaku took home the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her incredible performance in Sinners.
Wunmi was already a BAFTA TV Award winner or her role as Gloria Taylor in the 2016 TV film Damilola, Our Loved Boy, but this was her first win on the Film side, and it was a win that has turned the Best Supporting Actress ‘Oscar race’ into one of the more up-in-the-air categories this Awards Season.
Elsewhere in the ceremony, some of the other big winners of the night were One Battle After Another, which scooped Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, among others, while Hamnet took Best British Film, and the film’s lead Jessie Buckley won Best Actress in Leading Role – with the latter being, arguably, the only expected and predicted acting win of the night.
Georgina Pellant -
17th May 2021 
