Spice Girl Mel B. fires back at Eddie Murphy

LOS ANGELES - Former “Scary Spice” Mel B (aka Melanie Brown) has responded to ‘Dreamgirls’ actor Eddie Murphy’s comments questioning the paternity of her unborn baby.

“I am obviously upset and distressed at some of the comments made by Eddie Murphy to the media,” she said in a statement obtained by Access Hollywood. “I was astonished [by] what Eddie said there is absolutely no question that Eddie is the father.”

Mel and Eddie dated earlier this year and the former Spice girl is currently pregnant. Last week however, a TV interviewer captured Murphy confirming their split and calling into question her pregnancy.

“But, you’re being presumptuous because we’re not together anymore,” Murphy told a reporter. “And we don’t know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions, sir.”

A few days later Murphy, 45, escorted film producer Tracey Edmonds, ex-wife of producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds to the premiere of “Dreamgirls” in New York. When asked by AP Television News if Edmonds is his “new lady,” he smiled and replied, “Yeah.”

Melanie, who has a daughter, Phoenix Chi from a relationship with a former Spice Girl’s back up dancer, Dutchman Jimmy Gulzar, added she was shocked by Eddie’s press claim. “I have no idea why anybody would want to conduct themselves in this kind of manner about such a personal matter in such a public way,” the statement reads. “My main concern is for the well being of my daughter Phoenix and of course the baby.”

Murphy’s wife, Nicole, filed for divorce last year, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple were married in 1993 and have five children together.

Melanie had her own public relationship battles. She divorced Gulzar in January 2000, but sources say she paid around $2 million in alimony. Mel and her daughter Phoenix have reportedly lived in Los Angeles since 2003.

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