The moment Mel B and Shirley Ballas become embroiled in a tense row as they butt heads on Celebrity Bear Hunt

LEOMIE ANDERSON

Mel B and Shirley Ballas became embroiled in a tense row as they ʙuттed heads over an ‘unfair’ challenge on Celebrity Bear Hunt.

The Spice Girl, 49, and the Strictly Come Dancing judge, 64, have joined 10 other celebrities living in close quarters and taking on gruelling challenges on the new Netflix series.

However, the pair became locked in a fierce argument when tensions rose after the Walk The Plank challenge, with Shirley boldly accusing Mel of being a ‘ʙuттon pusher’.

During the task, the celebrities had to make it from one side of a swamp to the other using planks and, while there were no teams, Shirley, Steph McGovern, Kola Bokinni, Joe Thomas and Danny Cipriani all worked together.

Mel, Big Zuu, Lottie Moss and Una Healy then formed another team but Big Zuu was unhappy because the others had joined forces after ignoring his suggestion they split equally to be fair, and also claimed they took all the long planks for themselves.

After losing the challenge, Mel’s team were forced to go to the Bear Pit, which is a purpose-built escape room where they are hunted by Bear Grylls, with the loser being eliminated from the show.

Mel B (pictured) and Shirley Ballas became embroiled in a tense row as they ʙuттed heads over an ‘unfair’ challenge on Celebrity Bear Hunt

Mel narrowly avoided going home and was left enraged by the challenge, with her and Big Zuu becoming embroiled a row with Shirley over her team’s conduct, which they claimed was ‘unfair’.

Speaking to Big Zuu, Mel first fumed: ‘What I don’t like is that Shirley’s not been in [the Bear Pit], she got a pᴀss.’

They both then marched over to confront Shirley, who was left annoyed by the way Mel was speaking to her and accused her of being a ‘ʙuттon pusher’.

Kicking off the row, Mel told the TV judge: ‘We all have to go in the pit at some point Shirley,’ prompting her to demand: ‘Excuse me?’

Shirley then snapped: ‘What is the matter with you?’ with Mel doubling down with: ‘We all have to go into the pit.’

Shirley replied: ‘Of course, I’m not hear complaining or whining or moaning or groaning – everyone has to go in? Well I’m not frightened of going in so I don’t know what your point is.’

Mel then insisted that she was just ‘talking’ to Shirley, who argued: ‘Well you don’t really talk do you? You’re direct, you’re in somebody’s face.’

Mel responded: ‘I know because I am who I am,’ but Shirley hit back with: ‘You’re not exactly the most deliverable of messengers.’

The pair became locked in a fierce argument when tensions rose after the Walk The Plank challenge, with Shirley boldly accusing Mel of being a ‘ʙuттon pusher’

Mel and Big Zuu both confronted Shirley after they claimed her team had acted ‘unfairly’ in the challenge and they all became embroiled in an awkward exchange as tensions rose

As they both talked over one another, Mel made sure she got the last word in as she yelled: ‘Neither are you!’

Speaking to camera after the bust-up, Shirley claimed Mel and her teammates had ‘blamed’ others for their loss, rather than accepting it with ‘grace’.

‘You can feel the tensions are rising and somehow, the challenge always gets the blame, it’s always somebody else’s fault,’ she said.

‘There are several people who really take these to heart and particularly when it’s a losing team.

‘Instead of taking it with grace and reflection, off go those mouths.’

‘I’m extremely compeтιтive but what I’ve learnt about Mel B is that she’s also compeтιтive, but she’s a ʙuттon presser,’ she added.

Since the scenes have aired, Shirley reflected on the clash and said she didn’t like to see people ‘pushing ʙuттons just to get a reaction’.

She told WhattoWatch: ‘I can let somebody be a diva for so long until I feel someone else is being picked on.

‘I’ve dealt with divas in my industry all my life. There’s nothing that could shock me.

Speaking to camera after the bust-up, Shirley claimed Mel and her teammates had ‘blamed’ others for their loss, rather than accepting it with ‘grace’

‘But when you’re living together and can’t retreat to your own home, all you ask for is mutual respect.

‘If someone keeps pushing ʙuттons just to get a reaction, I don’t like that. I think it’s completely unnecessary—though I know it makes great TV!’

Shirley added that she felt it was important to get on with the show and not waste time complaining, as she pointedly said that not all her fellow celebrities followed the same thinking.

She said: ‘If you watch the show you’ll never find me whining. No matter what I was feeling, I kept it inside and I got on with the job that I signed up for.

‘I think if you sign up for it, shut up and get on with it. Unfortunately, not everybody felt the same way!’

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