Mel B ‘shocked’ by racism in middle America after visiting with Emily Atack and Ruby Wax for new BBC series

Mel B has admitted that she was “shocked” by the racism in middle America, after visiting alongside TV personality Ruby Wax and actress Emily Atack for a new BBC docuseries.

The Spice Girl, whose real name is Melanie Brown, 47, from Leeds, was stunned as she and her teammates questioned whether there were any black or mixed-race people in the area of Colorado that they visited, while following in the footsteps of Victorian explorer Isabella Bird.

The singer, who previously lived in Los Angeles, a multicultural city, believed that racism had decreased over the years.

She explained to Mail Online, saying: “I think what shocked me most is that people of colour in Colorado, whether it be mixed or brown or some kind of mix of ethnicity, they kind of have it even harder.

“We met two sisters that were the champions in lasso and told us how they had to fight harder for their position. They went to an all-white school and you’d think still... yeah there are places in rural outback, say, it is just predominantly white”.

The three-part docuseries airs on Monday 28 November and will follow the three ladies retracing the steps of the explorer Isabella and her forgotten pioneer.

At a time when most explorers were men, Isabella was a Trailblazer from Yorkshire. The three celebrities use her original 1873 book A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains as inspiration for their own historic American adventure.

Mel B explained why she wanted to take part in the series, saying: “When Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip got presented to me, going away with these two amazing ladies: you’re going to on this journey and follow the path of this unsung, forgotten hero,

“I thought ‘wow I would like to watch that show because I’ve never heard of this woman, and to do it along Ruby and Emily, for me it was just a no-brainer”.

Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip airs on BBC Two and iPlayer. Episode one will air on Mon 28 November at 9 pm.