adminShe has remained steadfastly silent amid speculation of marriage trouble.
But new photos of Mel B and her of seven years Stephen Belafonte make it clear that the American Idol judge is standing by her man.
In exclusive pictures the couple are seen holding hands as they leave a sushi restaurant in Tarzana, California on Friday – with their wedding rings firmly in place.
Mel B looked cheerful and a tad more glam than her other half, donning tight leather trousers and a figure hugging tank top.
The 39-year-old British X Factor host appeared to be wearing just a touch of makeup with her glossy bobbed locks framing her face.
Film producer Stephen, 39, was wearing grey Puma sweatpants and a matching hooded top and looked content as he led his wife to their car with her daughters Phoenix and Angel and their daughter Madison in tow.
The outing came after the family spent Christmas Day together, with Mel taking to Instagram to share a cute group photo, captioning it: ‘Have a merry Christmas! #familytime #funday’.
The festive show of togetherness came after Mel’s daughter Phoenix, who she shares with ex husband Jimmy Gulzar – responded to users who criticised Stephen on a picture he posted of the two of them.
‘‘Can everyone just chill he didn’t hit my mom don’t know how that stupid rumour came up,” the teen wrote.
The speculation about marriage trouble started when former Spice Girls star Mel shocked British viewers by appearing on the X Factor on December 14 with scratches and bruising to her arms and face.
It was reported that the TV host had left Stephen before she was rushed to hospital which caused her to miss the first live show on December 13, during The X Factor final weekend.
The singer, thought to have been struck down with a mystery stomach bug, reportedly ‘‘banned’’ Stephen from her hospital room while she recovered.
Shortly after, Stephen slammed speculation from fans of Mel’s on Twitter that he had hit her, saying, ‘‘You can only re-mix 10 things, 10 ways, so many times,’’ he told MailOnline.
“Who accused me of it, did she accuse me of it, the police, the hospital, who accused me of it.”
He added: “I thought when you beat someone up the police or the hospital or the person you beat up says it.”
But just after Christmas, Stephen’s brother, Oregon based Jeremiah Stansbury, painted a bleak portrait of their marriage and claimed the Leeds born singer is “addicted” to her husband, who she married in 2007.
He told The Sun: “It’s foolish. She could do so much better. Steve is an expert at mind games. Mel has her own insecurities and that’s how he got her in the first place. She’s addicted to him and the sad thing is she doesn’t have to be.”- Daily Mail.
Online Reporter