On Air Now
Heart Breakfast with JK and Amanda Holden 6:30am - 10am
Mel B, 44, ‘had secret fling’ with James Arthur, 31, after meeting on America’s Got Talent
16 October 2019, 10:28
Mel B reportedly had a secret fling with X Factor winner James Arthur two years ago.
In one of the most unexpected showbiz couples of the year, Spice Girl Mel B allegedly dated X Factor star James Arthur.
The pair are said to have hit it off after being introduced by mutual pal Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent back in 2017.
But keen to keep their fling under wraps, the couple didn’t have any public contact on social media.
At the time, Mel, 44, had split from estranged husband Stephen Belafonte while James, 31, was single.
An insider told The Sun: “Mel met James soon after her marriage ended while she was working in LA on America's Got Talent.
“They were brought together by Simon Cowell who secured James an opportunity to perform on the show.”
Read More: Mel B has thrown shade at Victoria Beckham with this cheeky Halloween costume
The source added: “James was single at the time and they hit it off instantly... They had a wild fling and loved spending time together, but it ended respectfully.”
Neither stars have spoken out about the rumours, Heart.co.uk has reached out to their reps for comment.
This comes after James was linked to singer Rita Ora back in 2013.
The X Factor singer - who won the ITV show in 2012 - previously opened up about his romance with the superstar, admitting he was left ‘heartbroken’ and started dating lots of women.
He said at the time: “After Rita I was chatting to hundreds of women online or on Whats-App after swapping numbers with them via Twitter.
“It was ridiculously easy. There would be no emotional attachment and it would be just pure sex, and with one or two exceptions that was how it was.”
Spice Girls star Mel also recently opened up on her previous marriage to Stephen who she split with last year.
The singer, who married Stephen in 2007 and shares an 8-year-old daughter Madison with him, initially filed a domestic violence restraining order against him before later withdrawing it.
Speaking about their decade long marriage on The Jonathan Ross Show, Mel said she feels ‘very lucky [now]’ that it’s behind her.
