EXCLUSIVE: Melanie Brown MBE might be one of the biggest names in music, but nowadays, the Spice Girls star can often be found at her secluded Yorkshire home, away from the bright lights of fameJulie Ann Trainor16:28, 06 Jun 2026Updated 16:28, 06 Jun 2026Mel B is still very much riding the wave of marital bliss after tying the knot to Rory McPhee last July. Despite it being the Spice Girl’s third trip down the aisle, she appears to have finally found lasting romance, with the hair stylist, 38, who is the best friend of her cousin.‌In addition to exchanging vows in St. Paul’s Cathedral last summer, the pair hosted a second wedding celebration at the opulent Selman Marrakech Hotel in Morocco, one month later.‌Reflecting on the run-up to her wedding which marked a girls’ trip to Tunisia, Mel exclaims: "For some reason, I had 33 women on my hen do – I didn’t even know I liked 33 women, but I do.‌"Out of 33 women, I had everything covered. There was a lawyer, I had a journalist, I had a Zumba dance teacher and a therapist. They were just amazing and we had a blast together."We did yoga and we did a lot of intense stuff. Some people were crying, some people were really tipsy, but we all had a lot of fun," she admits.‌However, it hasn’t always been a bed of roses for the singer, 51, who at the height of her fame married Dutch dancer, Jimmy Gulzar, from 1998 to 2000, and with whom she shares eldest daughter, Pheonix, 27. Mel is also mum to Angel, 19, with the comedic Hollywood actor, Eddie Brown, and a 14-year-old daughter, Madison, with her second husband, Stephen Belafonte.‌She once described Murphy as her ‘soulmate’, yet her relationship with Belafonte was a very different story. The former X Factor judge was married to Belafonte from 2007 to 2017; however, their marriage was shrouded by rumours of coercive control.In her 2018 memoir Brutally Honest, the popstar detailed severe claims of emotional, physical and financial abuse, and that Belafonte controlled her life and threatened to release compromising videos.Not long after her bitter and costly divorce, she waved goodbye to her Los Angeles lifestyle and moved back in with her mum, Andrea, to her bungalow in Leeds, where she began bravely rebuilding her life.‌Now, the songstress is in a much better place both mentally and financially. In fact, just two years ago she purchased a £2.2million countryside estate spanning 15-acres in the Yorkshire Dales, after five years of saving. Despite actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Aniston formerly being her neighbours in La La land, Mel, has fully embraced her new surroundings.‌"I hug trees and I spend time with my dogs and chickens. I swear I can speak chicken now – they understand me," she explains. "I have a plunge bath and an infrared sauna. I think for a woman, when you get into your 30s and mid-30s, I don't think the GPs inform us enough on what we’re meant to do."You’re supposed to be able to treat your body along with your ageing to prevent certain things happening." Opening up on her fitness regime, Scary Spice continues: "You're meant to do more weight-lifting, and for me going to the gym and doing weight-lifting is just daunting, but I can lift one of my more Rottweilers up, and I can do a bit of painting.‌"I can find ways that are doable and not going to cost me that much. I also love speed walking – it looks hilarious, and I love it," she adds. Incredibly, the Brit Award winner, became a patron of Women’s Aid in late 2018, coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.Looking back on her tumultuous relationship and offering hope to others, she maintains: "I think it’s 99% of women who will suffer from some kind of abuse or trauma, whether that be physical or emotional."Unfortunately, it is predominantly a woman's problem, because three women a week get killed by a current partner, or a former partner. So even if you've left that relationship or you witnessed it growing up, trauma will still sit in your body."‌Remarkably, two years ago, she received an honorary degree from Leeds Beckett University for her work supporting domestic abuse victims, which she hailed as ‘life-changing.’Discussing the academic accolade, she states: "Apart from me not finishing school, I did want to make a point at the age of 50 and get accepted into university for the first time."I really wanted to understand exactly what trauma looks like in the brain, and what we can do for trauma. Once you’ve admitted it, and understand it, it’s an ongoing journey. You can’t just get over trauma, or unsee or undo what you’ve lived through or seen or felt."Article continues belowLooking to the future ahead, Mel - who rose to stardom in the nineties, as one fifth of the biggest girl group of all time - reveals her love of singing and dancing still remains."I recently did a Zumba class. I didn’t really know the routine to start off with, but my ADHD kicked in and I learnt really quickly," she quips. "There's nothing better than letting loose and singing and screaming and just dancing."Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.