Stephen Belafonte has sparked rumours he’s dating Nikki Baby.
The 42-year-old film producer set tongues wagging earlier this week when he was spotted enjoying dinner with the 27-year-old reality TV star on Christmas Day (25.12.17) at Mastro’s in Los Angeles, but friends are adamant there’s nothing romantic between them and they met to discuss a shoe line, TMZ reports.
The romance rumours came just weeks after Stephen’s 10-year marriage with Mel B was officially dissolved after being locked in a bitter court battle for months.
Speaking to the DailyMail.com outside the courtroom, Stephen said: "This is the most beautiful present I could wish for. I’m newly single and ready to mingle."
The former Spice Girls singer wasn’t in court when the ruling was made but she has been forced to cover his legal fees – estimated to be around £180,000 – and has agreed to split the proceeds of the sale of the companies they created together.
The judge has also ruled that the pair – who got married in June 2007 and split on sour terms in March this year – will divide the profit from the sale of their mansion in Los Angeles and will share custody of their six-year-old daughter Madison.
Stephen explained: "I am happy. I got everything I wanted. She put me through the worst hell ever. But now it’s all over – I hope."
It’s also believed the ‘America’s Got Talent’ judge will pay her estranged husband spousal support for the next three years, but the exact amount is not known.
And, in return, Stephen has agreed to destroy any compromising video footage of his now-ex-wife, who previously claimed he and their former nanny Lorraine Gilles had tried to extort her with sex tapes.
The agreement was reached around the same time Mel withdrew her domestic violence order against the television producer last month.
The 42-year-old beauty filed for divorce from Stephen in March this year amid claims he had been physically and emotionally abusive towards her.
The ‘Wannabe’ singer – who also has daughters Phoenix, 18, and Angel, 10, from past relationships – previously claimed she had been "drugged" by Stephen.
Philip Cohen, one of Stephen’s lawyers, said: "Miss Brown now takes the position she was drugged by Mr. Belafonte throughout the course of the marriage."
Stephen Belafonte sparks rumours he’s dating Nikki Baby
