EXCLUSIVE: 'I've never seen a black eye or busted lip.' Mel B faces new scrutiny over claims in memoir that ex Stephen Belafonte left her covered in bruises as hairstylist who was key witness to alleged abuse says Spice Girl 'put words in my mouth'
- Mel B is facing fresh scrutiny over claims in her memoir Brutally Honest that her ex Stephen Belafonte beat her and left her covered in bruises
- In the book the Spice Girl includes a witness account from her longtime hair and make-up artist Randy Stodghill concerning the night of December 14, 2014
- Mel claims Belafonte beat her and stopped her from getting medical help after she swallowed 200 aspirin pills in a botched suicide attempt
- The book quotes Stodghill stating: 'In the hospital you could see doctors looking shocked when they saw her – Mel B, covered in bruises and delirious'
- But in audio recordings and texts sent by Stodghill to Belafonte and obtained by DailyMailTV, Stodghill said: 'I have never seen her with a black eye or busted lip'
- He claims Mel 'put words in my mouth' and 'I didn't say these things, I gave them my recount of the night, but how it was written and worded, that's not how I talk'
- Belafonte has also accused Mel of duping the public by over-stating injuries she sustained during a fall down stairs, suffering two broken ribs and a severed hand
- Yet less than a week after the fall, Mel was seen without any obvious sign of injury and she also posted a video of her dancing in front of a Christmas tree
- Belafonte said: 'It feels like this is exactly what she did to me, she came out and claimed bad injuries to garner sympathy from the public but then just a week later she's dancing with two broken ribs and no sign of a severed hand'
Mel B is facing new scrutiny over her bombshell claims that her 'violent' husband slammed her head against a door and left her covered in bruises after she tried to overdose on drugs, as DailyMailTV reveals the witness she quotes in her memoir admitted she 'put words in my mouth.'
In her new book Brutally Honest, Mel includes a dramatic witness account from her former longtime hair and makeup artist Randy Stodghill, written in his own words, concerning the night of December 14, 2014 - days before the X Factor UK grand finale.
That night Mel claims her ex Stephen Belafonte beat her at a luxury apartment in Kensington, London and stopped her from getting medical help after she swallowed 200 aspirin pills in a botched suicide attempt.
In her legal declaration during their bitter divorce she went as far to say that Belafonte repeatedly slammed her head against a door as she tried to flee a bedroom and screamed 'die b***h', leaving her covered in bruises.
But according to Stodghill - who showered Mel before taking her to the hospital to seek treatment for her overdose - he did not see any bruises on her body, as has been claimed in the book.
![Mel B is facing new scrutiny over her bombshell claims that her 'violent' husband Stephen Belafonte left her covered in bruises after she tried to overdose on drugs, as DailyMailTV reveals the witness she quotes in her memoir admitted she 'put words in my mouth'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576574-6508195-image-m-2_1545149181901.jpg)
Mel B is facing new scrutiny over her bombshell claims that her 'violent' husband Stephen Belafonte left her covered in bruises after she tried to overdose on drugs, as DailyMailTV reveals the witness she quotes in her memoir admitted she 'put words in my mouth'
![In the book, Mel includes a witness account from her former longtime hair artist Randy Stodghill (pictured) concerning the night of December 14, 2014. But in audio recordings and texts sent by him to Belafonte, Stodghill said: 'I've never seen her with a black eye or busted lip'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576640-6508195-In_the_book_Mel_includes_a_witness_account_from_her_former_longt-m-17_1545149614266.jpg)
In the book, Mel includes a witness account from her former longtime hair artist Randy Stodghill (pictured) concerning the night of December 14, 2014. But in audio recordings and texts sent by him to Belafonte, Stodghill said: 'I've never seen her with a black eye or busted lip'
![Stodghill also told Belafonte (pictured) that he disputes the claim that Mel was in an abusive relationship and says he has never witnessed Belafonte beat her or grab her in any way](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576592-6508195-image-m-16_1545149472129.jpg)
Stodghill also told Belafonte (pictured) that he disputes the claim that Mel was in an abusive relationship and says he has never witnessed Belafonte beat her or grab her in any way
The book, quoting Stodghill's words directly, states: 'In the hospital – Northwick Park NHS - you could see these doctors looking completely shocked when they saw her – Mel B, covered in bruises and delirious with all those pills.'
But bombshell audio recordings and text messages obtained by DailyMailTV show that Stodghill told Belafonte that the Spice Girl 'put words in my mouth.'
In a recorded conversation with Belafonte, Stodghill tells him that at no point did he tell anyone that Mel had any bruises.
He said he showered her that night but did not see any marks on her body.
And he said of the bruises claim written in the book: 'I never said that, I never said that. I didn't say these things, I mean I gave them my recount of the night, but how it was written and worded, that's not how I talk or think.'
Stodghill also told Belafonte that he disputes the claim that Mel was in an abusive relationship and says he has never witnessed Belafonte beat her or grab her in any way.
In fact Stodghill says: 'Mel would just have us thinking crazy about you (Stephen) and people would say 'he's so bad' or whatever, but I would say no, whatever you think about him, I do know he kept a cap on her crazy.'
He added: 'I look back on that now and realize that was the reason why, because, you know, she needed help and no one actually really knew that.'
'I have never seen her with a black eye or busted lip,' adding 'no' when Belafonte asked him if he'd ever seen him grab her arm or be dominant with her.
As for being terrified of her husband, as the book suggests, he said: 'Mel ain't scared of nobody.'
In the recorded call – which Stodghill knew was being taped – he also claims Mel tried to FaceTime him recently but he said he didn't pick up because he's not seen her in a year and a half. He said later: 'I just couldn't be around Mel right now.'
![But bombshell audio recordings and text messages obtained by DailyMailTV show that Stodghill told Belafonte that the Spice Girl 'put words in my mouth.' Pictured: Texts Stodghill sent to Belafonte about the alleged abuse](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7577444-6508195-image-a-19_1545149749575.jpg)
But bombshell audio recordings and text messages obtained by DailyMailTV show that Stodghill told Belafonte that the Spice Girl 'put words in my mouth.' Pictured: Texts Stodghill sent to Belafonte about the alleged abuse
![In one message seen by DailyMailTV he doubled down on his denial, telling Belafonte: 'I'll refute whatever physically abuse and bruises that I DID NOT see that may be in the book when it comes up' (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7577360-6508195-image-a-18_1545149709601.jpg)
In one message seen by DailyMailTV he doubled down on his denial, telling Belafonte: 'I'll refute whatever physically abuse and bruises that I DID NOT see that may be in the book when it comes up' (pictured)
![In a recorded conversation with Belafonte, Stodghill (pictured with Kourtney Kardashian in 2008) said of the bruises claim written in the book: 'I never said that, I never said that. I didn't say these things, I mean I gave them my recount of the night, but how it was written and worded, that's not how I talk or think'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576738-6508195-image-a-21_1545149857936.jpg)
In a recorded conversation with Belafonte, Stodghill (pictured with Kourtney Kardashian in 2008) said of the bruises claim written in the book: 'I never said that, I never said that. I didn't say these things, I mean I gave them my recount of the night, but how it was written and worded, that's not how I talk or think'
Stodghill also texted Belafonte in similar terms.
In one message seen by DailyMailTV he doubled down on his denial, telling Belafonte: 'I'll refute whatever physically abuse and bruises that I DID NOT see that may be in the book when it comes up...'
In a 56-page legal submission Mel filed at Los Angeles Superior Court in April 2017 in a bid to secure a temporary restraining order against her ex, the singer describes her husband as 'a large, extremely aggressive, hostile and violent individual.'
Discussing the now infamous night in 2014, Mel says that amid 'emotional and physical exhaustion' she downed an entire bottle of aspirin before calling an ambulance in a panic.
But she claims she was blocked by her husband, who she says flung her into a bedroom before locking the door and screaming 'die, b****' — causing Mel to injure herself as she tried to battle her way out of the room.
In her statement, Mel claims: 'My injuries caused me to miss filming for The X Factor UK and it became a major media storm in England.
'Upon returning to work I still had visible facial and body wounds from respondent's abuse.
'These injuries could not be concealed, even with heavy theatrical make-up.'
But in the audio recording Stodghill has completely different version of events.
He told Belafonte the claims made in court papers were 'crazy'.
'All I can say is I never witnessed no abuse and I have never seen any bruises,' he said.
He added: 'I've never seen bruises from being beat up, I'm not gonna lie, I'm never gonna lie for anyone.'
![In a 56-page legal submission Mel filed at Los Angeles Superior Court in April 2017 in a bid to secure a temporary restraining order against her ex, the singer describes her husband as 'a large, extremely aggressive, hostile and violent individual.' Pictured: The exes in 2012](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7574530-6508195-image-a-15_1545149421534.jpg)
In a 56-page legal submission Mel filed at Los Angeles Superior Court in April 2017 in a bid to secure a temporary restraining order against her ex, the singer describes her husband as 'a large, extremely aggressive, hostile and violent individual.' Pictured: The exes in 2012
Asked by Belafonte whether he specifically saw any bruises on Mel when he took her to see doctors at the hospital - as stated in the book - he replied, 'no'.
The recording was made weeks before the release of Mel's book after a leaked draft of Brutally Honest revealed Stodghill was quoted by Brown.
In the recordings Stodghill is also heard discussing with Belafonte how they had tried to stage an 'intervention' over Mel's drink and drugs problems a few days prior to her overdose.
Belafonte told Stodghill that Mel fired him because he wouldn't act as her 'minion' who says 'yes' to her all the time.
Stodghill agreed: 'She told me that, she said that everybody loves you, everybody adores you but you've been a bad friend to me, and I said how have I been a bad friend to you?''
He indicated that Mel had asked him to 'protect' her, but he responded, 'protect you from what?'
The make-up artist also revealed that he recently heard they were doing the audiobook part of Mel's memoir and they wanted him to read his own passage.
'I don't want it going round that I said these things...but I kind of knew that she wouldn't want to because I heard that she was doing the vocal part of it (the book) and they wanted me, like a couple of months ago, but apparently someone else is doing it. I'm like you know, I'm not gonna do that. All I did is recount, it wasn't nothing against you (Belafonte).'
Stodghill's denial to Belafonte of the claims of abuse is likely to be seized on by the ex-husband as backing for his version of events – that he was not a domestic abuser to her.
But in an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV last month Belafonte called the book 'lies' and challenged his ex to produce a single bit of evidence to prove any of her claims.
![Mel claims her injuries from Belafonte 'caused me to miss filming for The X Factor UK. Upon returning to work I still had visible facial and body wounds from respondent's abuse. During the show's grand finale, Mel appeared to have some marks on her arm and neck (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576636-6508195-image-a-6_1545149260689.jpg)
Mel claims her injuries from Belafonte 'caused me to miss filming for The X Factor UK. Upon returning to work I still had visible facial and body wounds from respondent's abuse. During the show's grand finale, Mel appeared to have some marks on her arm and neck (pictured)
He doubled down on the challenge by vowing to give his ex wife his share of their $7 million marital home, if she can produce a shred of evidence of any abuse or violence.
He referenced the now infamous night of December 14, 2014 which Stodghill recounted in the book.
Belafonte explained: 'She has said I put her in the hospital and I beat her so bad that she was in there for six or seven days. But what she did was very tricky. She made all these allegations and then she won't show the hospital records.'
Belafonte's attorney Grace Jamra, of Beverly Hills family law firm Jamra & Jamra, has confirmed to DailyMailTV that her team made multiple requests to see Mel's medical records, but none were forthcoming.
Mel appeared to have some marks on her arm and neck in TV footage of her appearing at the X Factor grand finale a few days after her overdose.
But Belafonte claims that whatever marks were visible were from hospital equipment - not as a result of a beating from him.
Belafonte also accused Mel may of duping the public this month by over-stating injuries she sustained during a fall down some stairs.
On December 10 the Spice Girl took to Instagram to share a snap of herself bandaged up - showing her holding up her right hand, which was wrapped in purple foam and held in a sling around her neck.
According to Mel, she suffered two broken ribs and a severed right hand and thanked both the hospital staff and her fans for their support as she heals.
'Thank you to all the wonderful nurses [doctors] and my amazing surgeon for the care and expertise given to me here at the hospital I've been staying at, suffering 2 broken ribs a severed right hand,' Mel wrote. [From] needing [emergency] care, to having had to have over a 3 [hour] surgery to repair the damage hence the purple sling.'
![Belafonte also accused Mel may of duping the public this month by over-stating injuries she sustained during a fall down some stairs. On December 10, she shared a snap of herself bandaged up - showing her holding up her right hand, which was wrapped in purple foam and held in a sling around her neck (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576672-6508195-image-m-9_1545149276822.jpg)
Belafonte also accused Mel may of duping the public this month by over-stating injuries she sustained during a fall down some stairs. On December 10, she shared a snap of herself bandaged up - showing her holding up her right hand, which was wrapped in purple foam and held in a sling around her neck (pictured)
![According to Mel (pictured with her Spice Girl bandmates in the hospital), she suffered two broken ribs and a severed right hand and thanked both the hospital staff and her fans for their support as she heals](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576654-6508195-image-m-10_1545149288274.jpg)
According to Mel (pictured with her Spice Girl bandmates in the hospital), she suffered two broken ribs and a severed right hand and thanked both the hospital staff and her fans for their support as she heals
![Yet less than a week later Mel was photographed without the sling and without any obvious sign her hand had been 'severed'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/16/7576678-6508195-image-m-13_1545149379681.jpg)
Yet less than a week later Mel was photographed without the sling and without any obvious sign her hand had been 'severed'
![She also posted a video on Instagram of her dancing in front of a Christmas tree with old high school friends (pictured). 'It feels like this is exactly what she did to me, she came out and claimed bad injuries to garner sympathy from the public but then just a week later she's dancing with two broken ribs and no sign of a severed hand, really come on,' said Belafonte](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/18/20/7576662-6508195-She_also_posted_a_video_on_Instagram_of_her_dancing_in_front_of_-a-4_1545165502086.jpg)
She also posted a video on Instagram of her dancing in front of a Christmas tree with old high school friends (pictured). 'It feels like this is exactly what she did to me, she came out and claimed bad injuries to garner sympathy from the public but then just a week later she's dancing with two broken ribs and no sign of a severed hand, really come on,' said Belafonte
Yet less than a week later Mel was photographed without the sling and without any obvious sign her hand had been 'severed' and she also posted a video on Instagram of her dancing in front of a Christmas tree with old high school friends.
'It feels like this is exactly what she did to me, she came out and claimed bad injuries to garner sympathy from the public but then just a week later she's dancing with two broken ribs and no sign of a severed hand, really come on,' said Belafonte.
He added: 'I've decided not to talk about my marriage to Mel in 2019, I want to put it behind me, I'm sick of hearing her lies and negativity and I'm sure everyone else is too.'
DailyMailTV has contacted Stodghill but he declined to be interviewed for this article and issued a statement, saying: 'I told a story from my perspective almost 2 years ago about a night that happened 5 or more years ago. I have nothing against him (Belafonte) or Mel.
'I only told a story from my perspective of that night and the morning afterwards with me trying to get my boss at the time some medical attention. I didn't go further than that. I've never spoken bad or untruthful about Stephen or Mel in 20 years of working for them.'
He claimed that he didn't give permission to Belafonte to record him, but on the audio Belafonte can be heard stating multiple times that he was recording the call.
A spokesperson for Mel told DailyMailTV: 'This book has been methodically researched and carefully written. All witness statements have been recorded and signed off by witnesses. If you have any questions about the bruises on Melanie Brown (clearly visible to millions of viewers in the X Factor final of 2014 ) ...read the book.'
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