Footage from a 2014 airing of the British show, The Xtra Factor, shows Mel B putting former cohost Louis Walsh in his place after he grabbed her butt. After resurfacing on social media over the weekend, the clip sparked outrage around the normalcy of sexual harassment.
https://twitter.com/dys_nania/status/1016049574102777858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1016049574102777858&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fokmagazine.com%2Fphotos%2Fmel-b-groped-live-television%2F
A Twitter user shared the video clip on Sunday (July 8), writing “sexual harassment on live TV folks.”
According to The Sun, the clip was originally posted to YouTube in Dec. 2014, and shows the former Spice Girl, Walsh, Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole being interviewed by Sarah-Jane Crawford on the reality show. During the interview, Walsh places his hand on the star’s bottom. He then cups her backside side before tapping it.
The discomfort can be seen on Mel B’s face as she stops the interview, telling Crawford, “hold on a second.” She then asks Walsh, “Why are you grabbing my butt?”
Mel B’s cohosts tried to reassure her that she was “safe” while laughing off the gesture. Visibly irritated she moved away from Walsh, who said he was only looking after her.
The video caused a debate among users with some defending Walsh based on his homosexuality and the justification that he was unaware of what he was doing. Others pointed out if it can happen so openly in a public setting there is a correlation to how frequently it may happen behind closed doors.
https://twitter.com/strxwberrytube/status/1016096823834968066
https://twitter.com/fakelovebegone/status/1016038187855040512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1016038187855040512&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Fnews%2F950400%2F2014-video-of-louis-walsh-grabbing-mel-b-s-butt-on-live-tv-sparks-outrage-on-social-media
https://twitter.com/elliott_panyi/status/1016085620714852359
Mel B nor Walsh have commented on the resurfaced video.
