Saturday, 15 December 2007

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Mel B has secret reunion talks with Eddie Murphy

Her furious husband storms out of the opening night of the Spice Girls tour

Behind the glitz and glamour of the Spice Girls tour, Melanie Brown’s marriage to film producer Stephen Belafonte, 32, is close to breaking point.

The couple, who wed just six months ago, have been in crisis talks since Mel secretly resumed contact with ex Eddie Murphy, the father of her 8-month-old daughter Angel.

Tensions reached fever pitch when Mel received a call from Eddie wishing her luck in the final of TV’s Dancing With The Stars.

Our backstage source says: ‘It was uncomfortable because Stephen was in Mel’s trailer when the call came through. He got really upset.'

Mel’s secret reunion talks with 46-year-old Eddie, with whom she’s been locked in a paternity battle, have caused endless rows between her and Stephen. Mel’s determined for Eddie to play an active role in their daughter’s life, much to Stephen’s annoyance.

At the fabulous five’s first reunion show in Vancouver, Canada, on 2 December, it was obvious that the newlyweds were barely on speaking terms.

Stephen was refused entry to the concert at first because he wasn't recognised by security guards, then Mel picked a guy out of the audience and started to spank him with a rhinestone-encrusted whip, before writhing suggestively all over him.

Stephen saw red and walked out.

'Mel’s feisty and always does things her way,' says a pal. 'Only time will tell if they can make it through this rough patch.’