Mel C, the newlywed Spice Girl, was seen watching her former flame, Jason 'J' Brown of the 90s band 5ive, perform at Brighton Pride on Sunday. The appearance comes 26 years after the two dated.
Brown performed with his bandmates Abz Love, Scott Robinson, Ritchie Neville, and Sean Conlon. Mel C had DJed earlier in the day and was in the audience for 5ive's set. She was seen in her signature Adidas attire, a crop top and tracksuit bottoms, while Brown sported a monochrome outfit with a bowler hat.
The singer, whose full name is Melanie Chisholm, dated Brown in March 2000 for four months. They remained friends after their split. At the 2000 Brit Awards, where 5ive won Best Pop Act, Mel C revealed that her hit song "Never Be The Same Again" was about him. She also spoke to the BBC later that year, noting that while Brown was not a Spice Girls fan, she had become a fan of 5ive. "J from Five! We dated for a little while and he's lovely and he's still a friend," Mel C said on the Celebrity Search Engine podcast. "We don't see each other very often, but we stay in touch."
Mel C's attendance at Pride follows her recent honeymoon with husband Chris Dingwall. Unconventionally, her mother Joan and stepfather Dennis joined them on the trip. Dingwall shared photos from the celebration of his 46th birthday on Instagram, with Mel C commenting, "Happy Birthday husband. I love you."
It was recently reported that Dingwall was previously married and separated from his ex-wife because they "wanted different things in life." He met Mel C on the dating app Raya three years ago, and their first date was in Sydney. Dingwall proposed to Mel C in July 2025 during a trip to Mallorca, Spain. Mel C had previously expressed reservations about marriage but stated she had a change of heart, particularly after turning 50.
A friend of Dingwall's described him as someone who "maintains a very low profile, particularly with his relationships" and is not one to "chase the limelight," despite being "drawn to it."