Bikini clad Melanie Brown swills champagne

After months of working out and eating well, Melanie Brown finally gets a chance to indulge her vices on holiday in Miami.

Bikini-clad Mel B swilled champagne and chain-smoked on romantic holiday in Miami after keeping in shape for the Spice Girls tour and her recent photoshoot for Ultimo swimwear and lingerie.

Dressed in her trademark style of a leopard-print bikini with bulky gold earrings, Scary Spice happily chaffed rose champagne and smoked a packet of cigarettes during her day by the pool.

Bottoms up: Mel B swills rose champagne by the pool

Despite being handed two glasses with their ice bucket of bubbly, an enthusiastic Mel appeared to drink the bottle while husband Stephen was content to just bake in the sun.

The couple appeared to be having time off parenting the singer's two children Phoenix Chi, nine, and Angel Iris, 13 months, - whose father is Eddie Murphy - and Stephen's daughter Giselle.

They are just weeks away from their first wedding anniversary on June 6th.

The 32-year-old's holiday comes just a week after her swimwear shots for British firm Ultimo were unveiled.

The Leeds-born star was unveiled as the new face of Ultimo last month, replacing Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, and appears in ads for both the Scots firm's lingerie and swimwear.
Taking the plunge: Mel B steps into the pool to cool off from the hot Miami sun

The singer admits she is in the best shape of her life due to her appearance on the U.S. talent show Dancing With The Stars and the subsequent Spice Girls tour.

Last month, Mel said: "I am over the moon to become the face and body of Ultimo lingerie. When (CEO) Michelle Mone asked me, I was ecstatic. I was so excited, but slightly nervous? I had never modelled lingerie before.

"The photoshoot in LA was fantastic. Ultimo lingerie gives you a superb shape and is so comfortable with sexy styles in every collection. I took every set home with me."

Mel is taken a much needed holiday in Miami after a busy 12 months.

As well as starring on Dancing With The Stars and reuniting with the Spice Girls, Mel has also returned to the studio to record her third solo album and married producer Stephen in Las Vegas.

Cool off: Mel B returns to husband Stephen after a dip in the pool

Melanie Brown

Melanie Brown featured in a number of colourful bikinis

Melanie Brown makes a splash today as a swimwear model.

The Spice Girl poses in a series of revealing shots for Ultimo's Spring Summer 08 campaign, photographed in the sunny climes of Miami.

The 32-year-old is featured in a number of colourful bikinis, which show off her highly-toned physique.

The singer has already fronted the company's lingerie collection.

Melanie Brown fronts Ultimo's swimwear collection

Brown can credit the recent Spice Girls' world tour and her appearance on US TV show Dancing With The Stars for her impressive figure.

The mother-of-two, labelled "queen of the floor" by her dance partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, made it to the final of the popular American show, but lost out in the viewer's vote to Brazilian racing driver Helio Castroneves.

She took over as the face of Ultimo from a singer of another well-known girl group.
Scary Spice reveals her tattoos while modelling the bra and knicker combinations

Girls' Aloud star Sarah Harding has been the Face and Body of Ultimo's A-C line since 2006.

Brown was signed up to be the face of the brand after owner Michele Mone saw her in a bikini in a paparazzi shot.

"Mel B is the biggest star Ultimo has ever signed and I am excited that this will take the brand onto another level," said Mone.

"I saw a picture of her in a bikini in Miami and had to sign her for Ultimo," she added.

Besides modelling for Ultimo and raising daughters Angel Iris and Phoenix Chi, the singer has also been busy working on a new album.

She has spent the past week working with some of the biggest producers in the music industry including Rodney Jerkins.
Mel B can credit the recent Spice Girls' reunion tour and her appearance on American TV show Dancing With The Stars for her impressive physique

Melanie Brown

Melanie Brown showed off her enviable figure

Spice Girl Mel B has been unleashed as the new face of Ultimo lingerie and if these shots are anything to judge by she's in better shape than ever.

Posing in a daring photoshoot above the LA skyline, the 32-year-old sparkles dressed in nothing but the company's latest line of racy two-pieces and stilettos in some of the shots.

The singer follows in the footsteps of supermodels Helena Christensen, Rachel Hunter and Penny Lancaster but thanks to the Spice Girls' gruelling reunion tour Mel looks just as good as her catwalk-strutting predecessors.

Hot pink: Mel models the label's latest designs

Me showed off her enviable figure on the glamorous LA photoshoot

Her honed physique and glowing reputation stateside are reportedly the reasons behind the brand's decision to hire her.

When the new appointment was leaked to The Sun earlier this month, a source from the company said: "We were blown away by the great shape she is in and desperate to land her. Mel B has never been bigger."

Mum-of-two Mel said: "I am over the moon to become the Face and Body of Ultimo lingerie. When Michelle Mone asked me, I was ecstatic. I was so excited, but slightly nervous – I had never modelled lingerie before.

"The photoshoot in LA was fantastic. Ultimo lingerie gives you a superb shape and is so comfortable with sexy styles in every collection. I took every set home with me."

Mel accessorised with her trademark tattoo and a tiny white cardigan

Mel said she took every set of lingerie she modelled home with her

Meanwhile, Sarah Harding may be smarting at being replaced after just two seasons modelling for the company.

The 26-year-old signed a £100,000 deal with Ultimo in 2007 and was expected to negotiate an even bigger sum in her next contract.

Upon being dropped by the label, a source close to her told the People newspaper: "Sarah's a bit upset but she is sure she won't be short of modelling offers - plus she's really busy with the group."

The former Spice Girl called being the face of Ultimo an 'honour'

Melanie Brown

Leona sets the record for fastest-selling debut album

Leona Lewis has set a UK record for the fastest-selling debut album.

Spirit went straight in at number one, while the 22-year-old X-Factor winner's song Bleeding Love also remained at the top of the singles chart for the fourth week running.

Leona's album saw off stiff competition from the Spice Girls' Greatest Hits album, which went in at number two.
Top spot: Leona Lewis fought off stiff competition to be number one in the album chart

The previous fastest-selling debut album was the Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not in January 2006, which managed 363,735 copies in its first week. This week Spirit sold a massive 375,872 copies.

A spokesman for Leona said: "On it's first day of sales alone Spirit sold over 130,000 copies, which was outselling the rest of the top 10 put together.

"On average it worked out that Leona was selling an amazing 200 albums per minute."

In this week's singles chart, Take That stayed at number two with Rule The World with Timbaland's Apologize another non-mover at three.
The Spice Girls lost out in the popularity stakes to X Factor winner Leona

Kylie's single 2 Hearts climbed eight places to fourth while Valerie by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse fell one to five.

No One by Alicia Keys rose three places to this week's six as Westlife's Home slipped two places to seven.

Flux by Bloc Party was a new entry at eight, while Loch Lomond by Runrig featuring Tartan Army claimed ninth spot.

Last week's six, About You Now by the Sugababes, slid four to this week's number 10.

In the album chart, last week's number one, Back Home by Westlife, was forced down to third place by Leona and the Spice Girls.

Mothership, a new entry by Led Zeppelin, entered the list at number four, while Celine Dion's new album Taking Chances went in at five.

The two other new entries to this week's chart top 10 were Sawdust by the Killers at seven and Andrea Bocelli's hits collection Vivere at eight.

Leona Lewis , Melanie Brown , Victoria Beckham

Spice spat as Geri claims Headlines for herself

When Geri Halliwell fell out with her fellow Spice Girls it resulted in the group disbanding. Now, with just months to go until their reunion tour, there has been the first difference of opinion.

After a meeting at Geri's North London home, I hear Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisholm and Melanie Brown are put out that Geri has been claiming the group's new single Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) was largely down to her.

'Geri is making it clear to all who listen that she wrote it with Emma Bunton and the others added their lyrics much later,' says a source.

Reunion: But the Spice Girls are experiencing tensions already

Emma Bunton , Geri Halliwell , Melanie Brown , Victoria Beckham

Spice girl Mel B's two-year affair with TWO lesbian lovers

Spice girl Mel B had a two-year affair with two lesbian lovers - who have spoken out to say they now believe she is in a 'fragile' state of mind, according to a Sunday newspaper.

Mel B - real name Melanie Brown - allegedly started a lesbian affair with Christa Parker, 35, a mother of two, after meeting her at the gates of the school in America where their children are pupils.

Christa, in turn, apparently introduced Mel to her 26-year-old friend Elizabeth Rodriguez, a sex-toy saleswoman. The women allegedly had three-in-a-bed sessions.

Spice girl Mel B had a two-year affair with two lesbian lovers

Christa said her relationship with the Spice Girl became sexual in August 2005 while Mel was dating a casting director.

She told a Sunday newspaper: "I had only had sex with a woman once before...but Mel was obviously very experienced with women. She is a great kisser."

Mel was pictured kissing a woman identified as a film executive called Christine back in 2004

When Christa introduced her to Elizabeth, the three began to have regular sex sessions. Christa said: "Mel and I were very good friends. We saw each other almost every day and would have sex at least a couple of times a week."

Christa claimed that Mel was dating men at the same time - but the women's liaisons were interrupted in May 2006 when Mel began her passionate romance with Eddie Murphy.

But she claims the singer is now in a fragile emotional state and was concerned about her whirlwind marriage to film producer Stephen Belafonte two months ago.

Christa Parker, 35, a mother of two, says her relationship with Mel B was interrupted in May 2006 when the Spice Girl began her passionate romance with Eddie Murphy

Christa claims that since Mel's marriage Christa's contact with her has been limited to weekly phone calls.

Christa said: "Mel is so vulnerable. I'm very worried about her. I hope she's happy. I just don't want to see her hurt."

Mel B with new husband Stephen Belafonte whom she wed in a secret ceremony in June

Melanie Brown

Mel B's secret Las Vegas wedding

Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who gave birth to Eddie Murphy's daughter in April, married her boyfriend, Stephen Belafonte, in June, her spokesperson has confirmed.

Murphy acknowledged his paternity of Brown's daughter, Angel, last week, one day after the 32-year-old singer took legal action to establish him as the parent.

Mr and Mrs Mel B: the pair wed in a Las Vegas ceremony in June
In a statement to American magazine People, Brown's spokesperson said: "Regarding the marriage, Mel and Stephen have know each other for many years and were great friends first.

"Now they are deeply in love. The two are very happy together."

The singer said last month: "I've known him for seven years, so I know that he won't be detrimental or disrespectful. And he loves kids - he has a 2 1/2-year-old son."

Summer lovin': the pair have been enjoying a romantic holiday in Miami this week

She added that the new romance caught her by surprise: "When you're going through something like I did and you're pregnant, you really start thinking, That's it. I'm done with everyone - I just want friends. I can hold off on the physical."

"So he became a really close friend of mine and really supportive. Then one day he said, 'You know, I've liked you for a long time.' And I was like, 'Really? I didn't know that.' That part of me got shut down, which is what happens when you get hurt."

Water babe: Mel B has known Stephen for a number of years according to her spokesperson

Taking the plunge: Mel B is now a married woman

Belafonte is a movie producer whose recent credits include Sisters and Thank You for Smoking.

Scary Spice is preparing to rejoin her band for a world wide reunion tour in December and January.

A marriage certificate filed with Clark County, which encompasses Las Vegas, lists the date of the couple's nuptials as June 6. It does not state exactly where they were married.

Cheers! Mel B pops a bottle of bubbly while relaxing in Miami

Newlyweds: of her romance Mel B has said 'we're very happy together'

Melanie Brown

Bluebell's big day gets a sprinkle of Spice

The Spice Girls have reunited for a one-off event - the christening of Geri Halliwell's daughter Bluebell.

Four of the band's former line-up made it including the former Posh Spice Victoria Beckham who is thought to have been made a godmother for helping Miss Halliwell, 34, through her pregnancy.

Together again: Four-out-of-five of the Spice Girls (Emma, Mel C, Geri and Victoria) attended Bluebell Madonna's Christening. The only member not there was Mel B

Proud mum Geri with Bluebell

Bluebell with her Posh fairy Godmother

Baby Spice Emma Bunton, who is expecting her first child, and Melanie Chisholm - the former Sporty Spice - were also among the 100 guests.

The group's fifth member, Scary Spice Melanie Brown, who lives with her family in the U.S., was the sole absentee.

The Godmother gives a wave

Miss Halliwell - Ginger Spice - showed off Bluebell to wellwishers, posing with the flowers her 11-monthold daughter is named after.

Black limousines ferried VIP guests from St Michael's church in Highgate, North London, to an after-service party at Miss Halliwell's nearby home.

Mel C is sporty while Baby Spice Emma will be the next Spice Girl to give birth

Lady Isabella Hervey, who attended the ceremony along with Little Britain star David Walliams, said: "It was a lovely service. Geri looked stunning. It was good to see so many of the Spice Girls back together and getting on so well."

There was no sign of Bluebell's father, Sacha Gervasi. Miss Halliwell became pregnant after a brief relationship with the 40-year-old scriptwriter in Los Angeles and relations between the two are said to be fraught.

The new mother looked absolutely radiant at the christening

Emma Bunton , Geri Halliwell , Madonna , Melanie Brown , Victoria Beckham