Mel B says being a part of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” helped her find her “inner strength” after allegedly being in an abusive relationship for nearly a decade.
“I had to do this show, because unfortunately, I had a very abusive 10-year marriage, and I’m about five years out of that,” she claimed on Friday’s episode of “The View.”
“So, when you’ve been through something like that, you walk out of it feeling so broken and feeling so worthless. You’re riddled with shame and with guilt.”
The show, which takes challenges straight from the US military’s boot camp, forced the former Spice Girls singer, 47, to face her emotions “head-on.”
“I’m always going to have the PTSD, the flashbacks. So, by me choosing to put myself on a show where you’re yelled at, you’re hooded, you’re strangled … you have to go into battle. It was everything that was a trigger for me,” she said.
“This is my choice to do the show. I want to do it for myself. I want to tap into that inner strength that I thought I still had before my abuse even happened and see if that person’s still there.”
Despite the “terrifying” tasks, Mel said she “walked away from the show feeling so empowered” and like she could “conquer anything.”
“Only you can stop the abuse happening to yourself in your head again once you’ve left,” she concluded. “It was really important for me to regain my power, take my power back and talk about it on lovely shows like this show.”
In 2017, the “Wannabe” singer accused ex-husband Stephen Belafonte of beating and sexually exploiting her, as well as drugging her throughout their marriage.
She also claims Belafonte — who has vehemently denied all allegations — recorded over 50 videos of the pair having sex without her consent.
The following year, Mel checked into rehab for PTSD due to the alleged abuse.
Since then, the “Stop” singer has worked diligently to bring awareness to domestic violence organizations. She even received an MBE — Member of the Order of the British Empire — in May 2022 for her contributions to victims of domestic violence.