Mel C’s new husband is a divorcee who separated from his ex-wife after a short marriage ‘because they wanted different things in life’, we can reveal.
Chris Dingwall, 47, an Australian model who married the Spice Girl, 52, in an intimate ceremony last weekend, was previously wed to an actress whom he met in his early twenties.
According to insiders, Chris started dating fellow Australian Tamara Salamacha after a chance encounter in Barcelona and lived in London before travelling the world together.
Their relationship ended 15 years ago during a time in which Chris was determined to make it as an actor in Hollywood.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Ms Salamacha admitted their divorce was ‘hard’, but she remembered their time together fondly.
She said: ‘We weren’t looking for anything, we just met and fell in love.
‘We were in London for a few years – I was at university doing my Masters and we came back and forth to Australia before eventually moving back.’
The couple lived with Chris’s late mother Kerry for a few years while trying to save for their first home in Sydney.
Mel C and Chris Dingwall tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony in the English countryside last weekend
Chris was previously married to former Australian actress Tamara Salamacha (pictured together in March 2012)
The pair married in their early 20s and travelled the world together (Ms Salamacha is pictured)
She explained: ‘She was a really special woman and I was really close to his brother and sister, they’re a beautiful family.’
So close was her bond to his family, Ms Salamacha attended Kerry’s funeral last year after she passed away following a battle with Parkinson’s Plus – a group of neurological conditions that share some symptoms with Parkinson’s disease but also involve other areas of the brain.
Ms Salamacha remains coy regarding the reasons why they parted ways, admitting ‘divorce is s**t and it’s hard and there’s not really one reason that contributes to it’, before hinting Chris’s acting ambitions caused friction between them.
She explained: ‘He went off to LA to pursue his stuff and I did a bit of travel. He was headed on his own path.
‘I don’t know what he’s like now, but I know he always aspired to be admired.
‘We had a lovely time together and I hope for his sake that he is in love and has found satisfaction and is happy.
‘I am, and I feel incredibly happy and settled after a long time.’
Ms Salamacha’s comments contrast with a former friend of the couple, who claims their split was far less amicable than she makes out.
Indeed, the friend claims Chris’s bid to crack Hollywood drove a wedge between the couple they never really got over.
And she doesn’t see Chris as ‘the one that got away’, as the former actress totally changed her outlook on life since they split – and has since remarried and become a mum.
The friend said: ‘I don’t think Tamara was getting what she needed out of that relationship any more. They wanted different things from life.’
‘They went their separate ways and Tamara was heartbroken at the time, but she doesn’t look back now and think what could have been?
‘She has switched paths, she is no longer in the entertainment industry and has pivoted to the not-for-profit sector.
‘She has a loving long-term relationship and two kids with her true love.’
Ms Salamacha said their relationship ended around 15 years ago
Friends say the marriage ‘ran its course’ over ten years ago, with the split being fairly amicable
Not much remains on Ms Salamacha’s social media of her relationship to Chris besides a photo of the couple at the beach, seemingly captured in March 2012, with her nestled into his neck, as Chris smiles into the camera.
The same month they also attended an indie-rock triple-bill concert at Sydney’s Metro Theatre.
Prior to that, Ms Salamacha could be seen with a skinny band on her ring finger while travelling South Africa in 2010 for the FIFA World Cup.
The Daily Mail understands the pair, who bonded over a love of filmmaking, also worked on a short film that won first place at the international UpOverDownUnder Film Festival in 2002.
Ms Salamacha said while she hasn’t contacted Chris over the news of his nuptials, she wished the newlyweds the best of luck.
‘Mel seems like a lovely woman. When we were younger, Sporty was always his favourite spice,’ she quipped.
And while it has not been made public if Mel, who is worth an estimated $50million, requested a prenup before walking down the aisle, friends claim that Chris’s contribution to their relationship is not about money.
A friend said: ‘He brings to the party what he has to offer which is a calm and contented personality and he is a very handsome man, but I wouldn’t say he is independently wealthy.
‘She is definitely the breadwinner and he is an unassuming Australian boy who comes from a typical Aussie family with their own struggles.
‘I’m sure she is happy to have a man by her side who has a really calming and easy nature, he is a simple man and not a lot of complications, he is bloody handsome and that’s it.’
Ms Salamacha now with ‘her love’ Joe, who she shares two children with
Tamara and Chris’s big day contrasted starkly with his star-studded wedding to Mel C
Mel and Chris tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony in the English countryside attended by the singer’s ex-bandmates Emma Bunton, Mel B and Geri Horner
Chris met Mel on celebrity dating app Raya three years ago, with the pair’s first date in Sydney.
But his transformation into the silver fox now standing beside one of pop’s biggest stars was not something anyone saw coming.
Remembering Chris’s big break, his friends say that after years of working hard, the turning point happened almost by chance shortly after he moved to LA.
The friend recalls him getting a ‘top agent’, with one of his first castings being for a role that required a ‘silver fox look’.
‘That look had really started to come in and at the time he didn’t have any silver hair of his own so they sprayed his hair silver and his career just took off,’ they said.
‘Since then he has just really tapped into that niche market in having that look.
‘Chris is one of those males who happens to get better looking with age and it’s amazed us all, in his 20s he was just a typical Aussie guy and over the years he has blossomed into this silver fox swan, which we all laugh about now.
‘No one could have guessed it that Chris could have turned out to be as handsome and debonair as he is and I do think him and Mel are really well suited.
‘You see so many of these relationships with high profile people end badly but Chris really is just a nice guy who has a lovely calming presence and I’m sure Mel really appreciates the yin to her yang.’
Mel and Chris tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony in the English countryside attended by the singer’s ex-bandmates Emma Bunton, Mel B and Geri Horner.
The pair met on celebrity dating app Raya three years ago and went on their first date in Sydney while she was on tour shortly afterwards.
He was spotted with the world-famous Sporty Spice at Glastonbury Festival in June 2024, sparking headlines across the world.
The relationship took another turn a year later when Chris surprised Mel by proposing in July 2025 during a romantic getaway in Mallorca, Spain.
Mel had openly sworn off marriage for many years, believing it would never be part of her future, but has since conceded that she had a change of heart, especially since turning 50 and wanting to ‘do all the things’.
The pair met on celebrity dating app Raya three years ago and went on their first date in Sydney while she was on tour shortly afterwards
The relationship took another turn a year later when Chris surprised Mel by proposing in July 2025 during a romantic getaway in Mallorca, Spain
A friend of Chris’s added: ‘He maintains a very low profile, particularly with his relationships.
‘He was based in LA for many years for work and he was surrounded by all sorts of celebrities, but he kept dating and various relationships very low profile.
‘What I know of Chris, he doesn’t chase the limelight, however is very drawn to it. He doesn’t want to be centre stage and would be happy for Mel to be there, but he has always had a lure for media.’
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