Mel B's estranged husband Stephen Belafonte wants divorce battle to be opened to public

The filmmaker - who has Madison, six, with Mel and daughter Giselle from a previous relationship - is believed to have taken this stance because he has "already suffered 'undue embarrassment'", after Mel claimed she had been subjected to a decade's worth of violence and sexual exploitation.

And Stephen he thinks it is "hypocritical" of Mel to now want documents sealed to keep allegations, such as recent claims she battled with drug and alcohol abuse, made against her confidential.

The court papers, which were filed earlier this week, read: "Respondent (Belafonte) has already suffered untold 'undue embarrassment' and 'emotional harm' and will continue to do so as a necessary result of Domestic Violence hearing.

"It is hypocritical for a public figure who has willingly 'chosen to be in the limelight' not only in her professional life but her personal life, to turn around now at this juncture of the case and seek a veil of secrecy that the general public is otherwise not afforded, particularly when she put the domestic violence allegations at the issue in this case."

And it is believed the artist - who granted a temporary restraining order against Stephen - is keen to ban the press from the trial because she reportedly doesn't want people to know she "lied and misrepresented facts" to the court, but also because she wants protect her other children Angel, 10, and Phoenix, 18, from any upset.

But Mel's decision has come as a surprise to Stephen and his lawyers who believe if Mel was "so worried" about her brood's well-being she could have made the case private sooner.

The documents filed at Los Angeles Superior Court also stated: "If Petitioner [Mel B] was so worried about the well-being of the children and her public image, Petitioner could have made the instant request months earlier.

"Interestingly, at that time, Petitioner [Mel B] did not consider the 'best interests of the children' and deliberately chose to allege false and damaging information regarding the parties and their children all of which was fully accessed by the media and has wreaked unimaginable havoc and damage not only to the minor children but also to the Respondent's [Belafonte's] name, reputation, ability to work."