Mel B has reportedly been blocked from taking her youngest daughter home to the UK for Christmas.
The Spice Girls star and her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte share custody of their eight-year-old daughter Madison, and although Mel was hoping Madison could spend the festive season at home in the UK with her, she’s reportedly been told the youngster must stay in the US.
According to TMZ, Stephen filed documents requesting that Madison stay in Los Angeles with him over Christmas as opposed to travelling with Mel, and court records show the judge signed off on his request.
The court ruling comes after Mel – who also has daughters Phoenix, 20 and Angel, 12, from previous relationships – recently said she would love for Madison to move to the UK with her permanently, and has already filed court documents to request the youngster’s relocation.
She said: "The only gift I want is to have my youngest daughter Madison with me in Leeds. I’m currently in the midst of a custody battle with her dad and it’s incredibly hard. But I’m hoping and praying I will get her home."
Mel filed court documents last month asking to return to the UK because she can’t find work in the US.
Stephen currently gets overnight custody of Madison every Wednesday and every other weekend and Mel has promised to still provide him with "reasonable visitation" if she’s given permission to move back to her native Leeds, pointing out the youngster travelled between Los Angeles and the UK during the Spice Girls comeback, and that her ex-husband regularly travels too.
She stressed she is not trying to keep Madison away from her dad but feels "concerned" the producer will make that claim and is worried if he keeps their daughter full time in the US he won’t foster a positive relationship and the little girl could turn on her.