Mel B: Giving birth is a scary time, I would never do it without a midwife
The former Spice Girl was at an event to celebrate healthcare workers.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown said giving birth can be a āscary timeā and she would never do it without a midwife present.
The Spice Girl, 47, was speaking on Tuesday at The Sunās Who Cares Wins Awards, hosted by Davina McCall, at The Roundhouse in London.
The event to celebrate dedicated healthcare workers was attended by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, boxer Anthony Joshua, musician and actor Martin Kemp and comedian Al Murray.
Mel B said on the red carpet that the NHS works ārelentlessly hardā and people āwouldnāt surviveā without it.
Speaking about her own experience of healthcare, when she gave birth, the singer, whose full name is Melanie Brown, said: āI donāt think I could have done it without my midwife. I would never choose to do that without a midwife.
āThey make you feel comfortable because itās quite a scary or can be quite a scary time, and you look into the unknown even if youāve had your second or third baby.ā
Boxer Joshua said of the NHS: āMy uncle is in there and I feel like the workers go unnoticed.
āItās an important thing, until you go in there, you donāt realise how important the NHS is.ā
When asked whether it means more to him then the average person as an athlete, he said: āYeah, definitely, itās amazing.ā
Joshua also said he would fight Tyson Fury āwhen heās ready ā heās not ready. When heās ready, Iāll be ready.ā
Presenter Chris Evans said the NHS has been āquite prevalentā in his life as his brother and mother were nurses and his father worked in a hospital.
āWe need to treat them (better),ā he said. āWe should (all) do as much as we can (to help the NHS).ā
Former England footballer David Seaman said: āItās something that we take for granted and itās not until you really need it and you realise, when you need it, and theyāre always there.ā
Comedian Al Murray said āwe are very luckyā to have the NHS.
He added: āIt means when I fell down the stairs on a railway station when I was 19 they fixed my elbow (and they delivered) my three daughters.ā
Speaking about the current situation in the NHS, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: āIn terms of the challenge in waiting lists, weāve seen a massive increase between going into the pandemic when there was just over 1,000 people waiting more than 52 weeks.
āSo now weāre over 400,000 and thatās a real consequence of the challenges that we face from the pandemic.ā
He said the health service would get Ā£6.6 billion over the next two years and the social care system Ā£2.8 billion, as outlined in Chancellor Jeremy Huntās autumn statement.
Mr Barclay said the event was āan opportunity to celebrate the amazing workā and ādedicationā of the NHS.
Sir Keir also gave his thanks to the NHS, saing he was āhumbledā by the health service and it āwas particularly difficultā during Covid.
The Sunās Who Cares Wins Awards will be broadcast on Channel 4 and All 4 on November 27 at 6.30pm.