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
Loads of famous spooky films are returning to Leeds cinemas this Halloween
Lots of iconic spooky films are returning to Leeds cinemas this Halloween, alongside some new releases.
Now that October is here, there’s no denying that the spooky season is right around the corner, and Vue has announced that a whole host of creepy classics and the latest frightening flicks set to hit the big screen over the next couple of weeks – ranging from undeniable horrors, to family-friendly gems perfect for viewers of all ages.
Several cinemas across Leeds ill be taking part, including inside the Light and at Kirkstall.
Disney’s much-loved Hocus Pocus kicks off the lineup this month, before supernatural classics The Others and The Craft are back to terrify moviegoers from 16 October.
Iconic slasher film Scream – which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year – also returns to cinemas from 23 October.
Image: Unsplash
Cult-classic Donnie Darko and Guillermo Del Toro’s masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth round out the re-releases on 30 October, to celebrate their 25th and 20th anniversaries, respectively.
Then, when it comes to new releases, you can settle in to watch new psychological thriller, Verity, adapted from the acclaimed Colleen Hoover novel of the same name and starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson.
Meanwhile, Ghosts: The Possession of Button House, based on the beloved and award-winning BBC comedy, arrives on 23 October.
Other new releases include The Other Mommy, DC’s Clayface, and Crawlers.
And if the lineup wasn’t good enough as it is on its own, film lovers at Vue Quayside, Printworks, and Bolton can also enjoy Vue’s biggest and comfiest seat, the ‘Ultra Lux’ – which are strategically positioned to give the best possible view of the big screen with extra-wide armrests, a personal table for snacks and drinks, and a state-of-the-art beverage cooler.
“This October, we’re thrilled to be able to put on a raft of new and classic films for fans of scary and spooky films,” commented Mike Anton, who is the General Manager at Vue Manchester Printworks.
“From family-friendly comedy horrors to cult favourites, we know how gripping scary films can be and want to provide the very best big screen experience for people to enjoy every laugh and every scare this Halloween, leaving them with an experience they’ll feel forever.”
Find out the full lineup of films near you and book tickets online here.
Featured Image – Disney
UK News
Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month
Clementine Hall
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.
Georgina Pellant -
17th May 2021 
