Former Spice Girls star Melanie Chisholm, better known as Mel C has opened up about the unexpected way she met her Australian partner.
In a candid chat on the podcast Life Uncut, the 51-year-old pop icon said she had initially been hesitant to re-enter the dating scene after ending her long-term relationship with her manager, Joe Marshall, in 2022.
Encouraged by friends during a night out, Mel C told the Life Uncut hosts Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne that she decided to give the exclusive app Raya a go, known as the celebrity dating app, she described the process light-heartedly as “boy bingo”.
She eventually matched with model-actor Chris Dingwall who is based in Sydney, and arranged a dinner date during a DJ tour in November 2023.
The mother-of-one explained that she was looking for something different from her past relationships: someone supportive, separate but not interfering, and not “under my feet”.
She said he ticked the boxes since their first meeting and they’ve been together.
Their romance quietly made headlines when they appeared in public together in July 2024 at Wimbledon, after months of keeping things low-key.
Mel C with her new Australian beau. Credit: Instagram/@melaniecmusic
She said of Mr Dingwall “he’s just a real gentle soul…quietly in the sidelines being uber-supportive. He’s wonderful”.
Mel C’s connection Down Under comes after her involvement as a coach on the most recent season of The Voice Australia.
The Wannabe singer took control of the rotating seat alongside international stars Richard Marx, Ronan Keating and returning Aussie coach Kate Miller-Heidke.
The singers bond with her finalist, Cassie Henderson, was prevalent through the 2025 season with Mel C stepping into a mentor role as the young New Zealander navigated the pressures of the show and competition.
Viewers watched their connection grow from Cassie’s blind audition through to the Grand Final, with the Brit often praising her emotional depth, tone and resilience both on and off the stage.
Following the grand final, the pop icon took to Instagram and shared with her million followers how great of an experience coaching Henderson show had been.
“Watching your journey has been nothing short of incredible. I’m so excited for what’s ahead and so proud of how far you’ve come!,” the caption read.
Miss Henderson went on as runner-up on the fourteenth season of The Voice with Alyssa Delpopolo taking home the win.
