Mel C grew angry over lesbian rumours

Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm has spoken out about years' worth of rumours claiming that she was a lesbian, and has admitted that it started to make her angry.

The singer fuelled wide speculation that she fancied women by remaining single for so long after the Spice Girls split and because of her image at the time.

Mel C said: "At first that (the lesbian rumours) made me laugh because it wasn't something that ever crossed my mind.

"And then it kind of p****d me off when I thought, 'Because I have short hair and am quite muscular with a few tattoos, am I the stereotypical lesbian?'"

But she also admitted that the rumours had probably helped her popularity in the gay scene, saying: "I don't think it did me any harm. I've always had a huge lesbian and gay following."