EXC: 'I used to work out to escape my abusive ex... but now I'm doing it for ... trends now

Mel B looks nothing short of sensational in a sizzling new lingerie shoot alongside her mum Andrea and daughter Phoenix.

The Spice Girl, 48, flashes her abs while modelling a series of colourful undergarments for Pour Moi's summer collections in unedited images.

But her incredible figure didn't come without hard work, especially since she gained a stone from eating 'constantly' during the coronavirus lockdowns, she reveals.

And while she enjoys getting a sweat on in her home gym, the singer admits she previously used exercise as a means to escape her abusive ex-husband Stephen Belafonte, 48, during their 10 year marriage - claims he denies.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the singer tells how she used her latest project to reclaim her body, her freedom, and her family after being forced away from many of her loved ones for a decade.

'During Covid, I put on quite a lot of weight on,' she confesses. 'About a stone. I was at home a lot just eating constantly and I'd felt comfortable because I wasn't going out. So I decided at the start of this year that I would just get back to myself. 

'But even when the Spice Girls started, before I got married, I was constantly either going to the gym or eating healthily or doing some juicing. I was really kind of active with taking care of my body and my mind and was getting into a lot of meditation.

'So, this time around I just literally put myself back there and gave myself some fair but kind of regimented guidelines.

'Once the lockdown lifted, one of the things I realised is how much my day in, day out was just based around the kitchen and the fridge so I changed that and I had to change that.

'I wanted to feel like I had more energy and I think no matter what body shape I've had, I've always been confident. But I think I've never been this confident both inside and out, because I really did look up the foods that were making me feel bloated or break out in rashes, whether it be eczema or pimples.'

Mel was adamant that the images were not to be digitally altered, having seen many of her celebrity peers look unrecognisable on magazine covers and social media.

She insists, 'Well, I'm kind of old school and back in the day when we did photoshoots for the Spice Girls, we were adamant not to get anything retouched.

'And back then it wasn't a thing to do anyway. Whereas I've found more, especially over the last five to 10 years, people don't even look the same when you see them, whether it be their social media or their photo shoots that they do, whether it be front covers of magazines, they look completely different.