Speculation: Viewers commented on what looked like scratch marks on the former Spice Girl's arms and shoulder (circled above)

Mel B's husband has slammed speculation that he was responsible for her scratched and bruised appearance on The X Factor judge on Sunday.

The judge came back for the show's live final after being admitted to hospital in agony on Thursday night.

There had been no explanation from the 39-year-old former Spice Girl for her hospital admission, which caused her to miss Saturday's episode of the show.

But concerned viewers pointed out that she appeared to have 'a swollen face', a bruise on her cheek and scratches on her upper arms.

And many fans were quick to speculate that Stephen Belafonte, her husband of seven years, was involved as Mel wasn't wearing her wedding ring on Sunday night.

Within minutes of the show starting, Twitter was inundated with extraordinary speculation over whether she could have been the subject of a physical attack from Belafonte.

Luke Robinson wrote: 'So Mel B was APPARENTLY beaten up by her husband that's why she couldn't make it last night. Hense the bruise on cheek and no wedding ring.'

Tom Stoneman tweeted: 'Mel B's got a well iffy bruise on her cheek, scratches on the top of her arms and no wedding ring.... #xfactor.

Scroll down for video

Katy Perry Cherry wrote: 'hope it's not true about Mel B! just seems a bit odd how her "wedding ring was stolen in hospital" and she's got a bruise on her cheek..'

Tim Jones added: 'Not one to spread rumors but Mel B doesn't have a wedding ring and is sporting a nice bruise on her cheek #justsaying.'

And on Monday morning a furious Stephen, 39, hit back, saying: 'I don't usually respond to Twitter msgs but I will respond to comments of hitting my wife which I think are quite disgusting un true!

'Mel was very ill a bunch of doctors helped her get better if fans can't just relax B4 being negative they r not real fans of @OfficialMelB.'

'Disgusting': Stephen Belefonte took to Twitter to slam speculation that he had hit his wife after she appeared on X Factor with what appeared to be bruises and scratches

Furious: Stephen directly addressed speculation from fans on Twitter that he was responsible for his wife's bruised appearance

Not everyone linked Mel's appearance to Stephen but many pointed out that she appeared to be bruised and questioned what had happened.

Rob Saunders tweeted: 'Mel B has surely been assaulted? Make-up doesn't hide bruising well. Her left eye looks dodgy. Scratches on her upper arms. Perhaps I'm wrong.'

Rikki Tomasik added: 'Is it just me that thinks Mel B has been punched in the face? Clearly has a puffy eye and a huge bruise on her cheek!'

And Trish Preston commented: 'Actually worried about Mel B's wellbeing – she looks really unwell. Nothing is worth sacrificing one's health for.'

Another said: 'Something tells me there's still a lot more to come out of this Mel B story.'

No wedding ring: Mel's appearance along with her lack of wedding ring led to fans speculating that Stephen was involved with her hospital stay, something he quickly denied on Twitter

Swollen? Some viewers said that Mel B's left cheek looked bruised during the X Factor final on Sunday night

Bruised? Fans took to Twitter during X Factor on Sunday to claim that Mel's face look suspiciously bruised

Mystery: Speculation about Mel's appearance came amid a deepening mystery over her hospital dash

As the programme started last night, Mel B referred to her absence on Saturday, saying: 'I really missed being here but thanks to all the doctors and nurses who took care of me and got me here tonight.'

Asked by host Dermot O'Leary if she was feeling better, she said: 'Yes – ish.' But viewers insisted the normally forthright star was 'not herself' throughout her appearance on the show. It was reported yesterday that she may have had a serious stomach ulcer.

It came amid a deepening mystery over her hospital dash.

Her estranged mother Andrea and sister Danielle claimed they had been told 'lies' about her condition and kept in the dark about where she was.

Yet X Factor producers had been given enough notice to line up a high-profile replacement in the shape of Tulisa Contostavlos for Saturday's show.

Not herself: Viewers insisted the normally forthright star was 'not herself' throughout her appearance on the show.

She's back: The judge came back for the show's live final after being admitted to hospital in agony on Thursday night

Agony: Mel was reportedly rushed to hospital in agony on Thursday but was released in time for Sunday's final

Earlier yesterday Mrs Brown had said she would travel from her home in Leeds to London as soon as possible to find out the truth about her daughter.

I really missed being here

'I'm not going to leave until I find her,' she said.

'This whole thing has been hell for me. I have to know the truth and check that my daughter is OK.'

Earlier, the 58-year-old had written in an emotional outburst on Twitter: 'Mothers worse nightmare to hear ur daughters seriously ill in hospital and not know where to go!!'

Lies: Mel's estranged mother Andrea and sister Danielle claimed they had been told 'lies' about her condition and kept in the dark about where she was

Not exactly convincing: Asked by host Dermot O'Leary if she was feeling better, Mel said: 'Yes – ish'

Support: Mel put on a brave face as she hit the stage with Louis Walsh but those watching insisted something was up

Danielle retweeted the message, before posting herself: 'This is ridiculous and cruel !!! Evil ! How can NO one tell me and my family where my sister is and what is going on?'

She later wrote a message to X Factor boss Simon Cowell, asking: 'Can you please help? Or who can we contact?'

And she messaged Mel B's husband Stephen, saying: 'You told me and my mum yesterday she is fine and not in hospital ... and now you say she is sick but ok Where is my sister?'

Mrs Brown and Danielle are not believed to have spoken to Mel B since she renewed her wedding vows with film producer Mr Belafonte in 2008.

MEL B's HUSBAND STEPHEN BELAFONTE Mel B and Stephen met and married within a few months in 2007 Stephen Belafonte, 39, is an American director and producer whose credits include Thank You for Smoking (2005), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) and Mutant Chronicles (2008). He married Nancy Carmell in 1997 and they divorced two years later. He also has daughter Giselle Belafonte with former girlfriend Nicole Contreras. The Hollywood-born producer began dating former Spice Girl Mel B in February 2007 and the pair tied the knot in a secret cereomy in Las Vegas just four months later. They renewed their vows in November 2008 in Egypt but it was overshadowed by a row with Mel's family after her mother Andrea questioned whether Stephen would get on with Phoenix Chi (now 15), Mel's daughter from her first marriage to Jimmy Gulzar. Mel hasn't spoken to her mother, sister Danielle or father Martin in years but she and Stephen have been going strong since their 2007 marriage. They welcomed daughter Madison Brown Belafonte in 2011 and also raise Mel's daughter Angel (born in 2007), whose father is Eddie Murphy. Advertisement

Putting on a brave face: Mel shared a laugh with Keith Lemon although what looked like a mark could be clearly seen on her right arm

Tight-lipped: Mel has not directly addressed any of the speculation about her appearance on the show

Distraction: One user on Twitter commented that Cheryl's dramatic eye make-up was in order to distract from Mel's appearance

On Thursday Mel B suffered stomach pains after leaving her West London home for rehearsals.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Mel seemed OK when she first got into the car but during the journey it gradually became clear something was very wrong.

'She was complaining about stomach pains that seemed to grow worse and worse, until she was in agony. She was crying out.

'Mel was in so much pain that the driver rushed her straight to hospital. It was a terrifying episode – he had no idea if Mel was going to be OK or not. He's been the one constant at her side ever since.'

Last night viewers saw Ben Haenow, a 29-year-old van driver from Croydon, South London, beat Fleur East to win X Factor.

Mel B's sister Danielle Brown was so worried about her sister on Sunday that she launched an astonishing appeal for information on Twitter. Her posts have since been deleted

TWITTER SPECULATION OVER MEL B's APPEARANCE Within minutes of the show starting, Twitter was inundated with speculation over whether Mel B could have been the subject of a physical attack from her husband. Luke Robinson wrote: 'So Mel B was APPARANTLY beaten up by her husband that's why she couldn't make it last night. Hense the bruise on cheek and no wedding ring.' Tom Stoneman tweeted: 'Mel B's got a well iffy bruise on her cheek, scratches on the top of her arms and no wedding ring.... #xfactor.' Katy Perry Cherry wrote: 'hope it's not true about Mel B! just seems a bit odd how her "wedding ring was stolen in hospital" and she's got a bruise on her cheek.' Tim Jones took to Twitter to write: 'Not one to spread rumors but Mel B doesn't have a wedding ring and is sporting a nice bruise on her cheek #justsaying' Other Twitter users did not mention Stephen but commented on her appearance. Rob Saunders tweeted: 'Mel B has surely been assaulted? Make-up doesn't hide bruising well. Her left eye looks dodgy. Scratches on her upper arms. Perhaps I'm wrong.' Rikki Tomasik added: 'Is it just me that thinks Mel B has been punched in the face? Clearly has a puffy eye and a huge bruise on her cheek!' And Trish Preston commented: 'Actually worried about Mel B's wellbeing – she looks really unwell. Nothing is worth sacrificing one's health for.' Another said: 'Something tells me there's still a lot more to come out of this Mel B story.' A user called Jussie ‏ tweeted: 'Did Cheryl have her make up done exceptionally badly tonight to take away from Mel B's bruise cover-ups??!! #XFactorFinal.' Donna Inman ‏tweeted: 'Has anyone notice a bruise on mel b face or is it just me? #xfactor #melb' Katie Holbeche ‏tweeted: 'Just turned over to ITV...has Mel B got a huge bruise on her face, or are the brightness levels on my TV out of whack?' Archie_Saunders wrote: 'So Mel B has a bruise. But has any one noticed the scratches on the top of her arms too.' Paul William Pellow weighed in with: 'Sorry. I'm guessing Mel B has been attacked or punched due to that huge bruise on her face. Awful.' One commentator called Ginge, wrote: 'For real though, *is* that a bruise on Mel B's face? #xfactor' Adam Know added: ' #xfactor This look like a massive bruise on the left cheek of Mel b there?' Angela Barbey said: 'Is that a bruise on Mel b,s cheek? Could be a clue to mystery no show last night Just sayin #XFactorFinal.' Daniel Jenks said: '#XFactor U can see the bruise on Mel B's left cheek. This is a developing story.' Lydia Christie Smith wrote: 'Mel b has a massive bruise on her cheek, a swollen eye, scratches on her shoulders?!!!!!!' A user called Rupes speculated about a cover up, 'Mel B had so much makeup on you could barely see the swollen bruise on her left eye #xfactor. Jenni Fowler took to Twitter to write: 'Is it just me or does Mel B have a bruise on her cheek? Something dodgy going on #XFactorFinal.' Sophie Wophie wrote: 'Me and mum think Mel B has a bruise on her face. Hmm. Suspicious.' Advertisement



