Footage surfaces of Louis Walsh grabbing Mel B's bottom and people are mad!

Shocking footage of Louis Walsh grabbing Mel B's bottom on television in 2014 has been circulating online.

The pair were sat on the sofa with Simon Cowell and Cheryl during an interview on the Xtra Factor, when Louis can be seen patting the former Spice Girl's derriere.

A clearly frustrated Mel interrupted the programme to call out the behaviour, saying: "Hold on a second. Why are you grabbing my butt?"

Host Sarah-Jane Crawford exclaims: "Louis! Hands where we can see them please."

He replies, "I was looking after Mel", with Simon adding to Mel: "Honestly, you're safe."

An unimpressed Mel, then turns to Louis and calls him "inappropriate".

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Mel and Louis for comment.

The video has provoked huge backlash online, with one person commenting: "Why is he even laughing like that instead of apologising".

Mel is set to release a book about her life, and has dubbed the process of writing as "therapy" and her "own personal journey" as she has "three daughters by three different men" and "never wants to talk bad about their fathers."

Mel is mum to three children - Phoenix, 19, from Jimmy Gulzar, Angel, 11, from Eddie Murphy and Madison, 6, from Stephen Belafonte.

And while she has seen the heartbreaking demise of the marriage, Mel is adamant that she will not speak negatively of him in her new writing venture.

"It's the story mainly about the last 10 years," she revealed before continuing: "I'm kind of just exposing what I've been through the last 10 years... my marriage and relationship… quite the ups and downs."

- This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.