Mel B hits Murphy with lawsuit

Updated 22.58 Thu Aug 02 2007

Mel B is taking Eddie Murphy to court to have him legally recognised as the father of her three-month-old daughter Angel Iris.

The singer has filed a paternity lawsuit against Murphy, 46, asking for child support, after a DNA test proved that he was the father of her daughter - something the Dreamgirls star has never publicly acknowledged.

The Spice Girl has always insisted Angel Iris was planned and that the couple had wanted to get hitched

The Spice Girl, who discovered her short relationship with the comedian was over when he appeared on a Dutch TV show last December, insisted Angel Iris was planned and that the couple had wanted to get hitched.

It's now been reported that Murphy has asked his new girlfriend of ten months, Tracey Edmonds, to marry him.

Angel is Murphy's sixth child as he already has five children from his first marriage to Nicole Mitchell, which ended in divorce in April 2006.

Murphy's people are refusing to comment on the paternity lawsuit or on his reported engagement.

Mel B recently reunited with her former bandmates to announce a one-off Spice Girls comeback world tour.

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