Simon Cowell commends "incredible" Mel B

Simon Cowell has praised Mel B for how she is handling her messy split from Stephen Belafonte.

The 41-year-old star recently filed for divorce from her husband of almost 10 years, amid allegations he assaulted her, got their nanny pregnant and forced Mel to have threesomes, and her America's Got Talent boss Simon Cowell is impressed that Mel can focus on work throughout her personal turmoil.

He told The Sun: "She's an incredible person.

"If you think about what Mel's done since leaving the Spice Girls and what she's gone through, how hard she works and how I saw her try to handle this situation, it was astonishing.

"I think she is a really, really special person, and I really respect the way she's dealt with everything.

"Yes, she's under pressure but I think she's in a good place."

Photo / Getty Images

Meanwhile, Mel's former X Factor co-star Sharon Osbourne has opened up about when the star missed a day of filming three years ago and showed up the next day with a black eye.

Speaking on US chat show The Talk, Sharon said: "In the situation that she's been in for 10 years, it's not just physical, it's mental abuse too.

"Three years ago, in the final two days of X Factor, she didn't make the first day and she was in the hospital.

"And it was reported in all the papers that said 'allegedly' she's been beaten by her husband. And she came back for the final day and she had a black eye and bruising everywhere, but she made the final.

"This has been brewing and people talking for a very, very long time.

"You know what, she's a good girl. She's a great mother. She works her bum off."

The former Spice Girls singer - who has daughters Phoenix, 18, and Angel, 10, from past relationships, and Madison, five, with the producer - decided to end her marriage last month and secured a restraining order against her estranged husband after alleging in court documents that he beat her, got their nanny pregnant and forced her to have threesomes.

Stephen has previously called the allegations of domestic abuse "outrageous" and "unfounded".

Where to get help:

• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz
• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent. www.whiteribbon.org.nz
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Samaritans 0800 726 666
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

- Bang! Showbiz