Mel B has praised Eddie Murphy as a "proper father"

Mel - who also has Phoenix, 26, with first husband Jimmy Gulzar and Madison, 13, with former spouse Stephen Belafonte - told Us Weekly magazine: "I think being in the kind of [situation] that I was in, it was hard for me to step out and have that relationship [with Eddie] flourish.

"I managed to do it bit by bit."

The 49-year-old star's friendship with Eddie - who also has Eric, 35, with Paulette McNealy, Bria, 35, Myles, 32, Shayne, 30, Zola, 25, and Bella, 23, with Nicole Murphy, Christian, 34, with Tamara Hood and Izzy, eight, and Max, six, with wife, Paige Butcher - has "flourished even more" in recent years since she returned to her native England and embarked on a relationship with now-fiance Rory McPhee.

She added: "Angel is coming over [to Eddie's house]. They spend time together. They go on holiday together. He has [10] kids and he's a proper father."

Angel is very passionate about "art and Japanese culture" but isn't interested in a career in the spotlight, preferring to stay "very much to himself".

Mel said: "He went to Japan last year with his girlfriend and just embraced the whole Japanese vibe.

"[Angel] speaks fluent Japanese and he knows exactly what he wants to do and where he wants to go."

The 'America's Got Talent' judge's eldest daughter, who is a DJ is "very much the life and soul of the party," but "very chilled."

Mel said: "[Phoenix] takes everything in her stride. She's not really anything dramatic."

Following Angel's birth, which came months after Mel and Eddie had ended their brief romance, the 'Beverly Hills Cop' star disputed paternity but ultimately reached a child support settlement.

And the 'Stop' singer later admitted Eddie regretted his actions at the time.

She told Piers Morgan on 'Life Stories' in 2019: "He apologises to this day about that.

"He wishes he never said it because that baby was planned; we planned that baby together, and we were madly in love, and it just went wrong, dramatically went wrong."