Spice Girl Melanie Brown secretly married boyfriend Stephen Belafonte in Las Vegas two months ago, her spokeswoman confirmed today.

Although a new couple, Brown’s spokeswoman said that the Spice Girl, known as Mel B and Scary Spice, and film producer Belafonte had "been good friends for many years".

The pair married at the Special Memory Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas as they wanted to "make a private commitment to each other", she said.

Brown, 32, recently took legal action against Hollywood actor Eddie Murphy, the father of her baby girl. The pair split suddenly while she was pregnant. Following the birth, Brown waged a legal battle to establish Murphy as the father of Angel Iris, now four months old.

Brown and Belafonte are planning a bigger wedding later in the year.

Her spokeswoman released a statement saying: "Melanie Brown confirmed today that she and long-term friend Stephen Belafonte were married at the Special Memory Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on Wednesday June 6 2007.

"The couple, who are both 32, had wanted to keep the ceremony out of the public eye as they planned a more formal wedding for friends and family later in the year.

"Melanie and Stephen felt that they 'were at a good point in their lives and wanted to make a private commitment to each other'. They have been good friends for many years."

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