Melanie Chisholm:"I spent years not having a relationship and made odd choices because of it."Credit:Conor Clinch
My maternal grandfather,Vincent,was in the navy and covered in tattoos. He worked as a gardener at the children’s hospital in Liverpool[in Britain] – always tanned,strong and fit. He taught me how to plant and grow vegetables. He was strict on my mother,but as a granddad he was a big softie. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was gone within three months.
My dad,Alan,worked as a holiday representative. He speaks fluent French and Spanish. My parents divorced when I was three – the breakdown inspired him to travel and live abroad. Every summer I spent six weeks with him in Spain;I thought I had the coolest dad.
My mum,Joan,remarried shortly after her divorce. My stepdad,Dennis,had two sons who weren’t very nice to me growing up. Dennis was really strict and I used that old line:“You’re not my dad,you can’t tell me what to do” many times. Once I got older I realised how horrible I was – and now I’m a step-parent,I get how hard that role is.
Mum and Dennis had a son,Paul. I am six years older than Paul and was really happy to have someone to play with when I was young. As I got into my teens,he was always breaking my stuff. We shared a bunk bed for years.
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Mum was a singer and Dennis played bass – they were always out. I was the one left in charge of Paul,which made us incredibly close. Although I am older,he really looks after me – he is strong-willed and not afraid to speak up.
Paul dreamt of getting into motor racing. Thanks to my success I was able to sponsor his team. He raced British touring cars and was known as the fans’ favourite. He doesn’t race any more due to his Type 1 diabetes,but presents on TV and coaches young drivers. He had to get over being Sporty Spice’s sister,but he never played on that.
My first kisshappened at 14 with a cool boy who played soccer. I felt ancient. He was a little older than me.