.Eddie Murphy has finally publicly accepted he is the father of Mel B�s baby daughter � but again stuck the knife into the Spice Girl.

The comic actor, who got engaged to producer Tracey Edmonds last week, says in a new statement he "always has and will continue to honour his responsibilities as a father".

However, Murphy � who insisted on a paternity test to prove he was the father of Angel � undermined Mel�s claims the couple had planned a future together.

"Mr Murphy and Ms Brown dated very briefly and never made any plans of any sort," the statement explains.

However, Mel B � who is also in a new relationship � insists, �Angel is my baby and Eddie's. She will always know that she was planned and wanted by both of us."