United Kingdom, May 15 -- Mel B has praised Eddie Murphy as a "proper father".

The Spice Girls singer has 18-year-old Angel with the 64-year-old actor and their co-parenting relationship has only grown stronger in recent years, despite previous difficulties.

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...