Comedian Steve Harvey has refused to apologise for banning his colleagues from approaching him without an appointment.

The US chat show host said he wanted more "me time" and hated being "ambushed" in hallways.

The 60-year-old wrote the leaked memo because he said the attention made him feel like he was in "prison".

The comedian made headlines around the world when he announced the wrong winner of the Miss Universe 2015 competition.

The host of 'The Steve Harvey Show' said in the letter that security would remove staff from outside his dressing room.

He urged colleagues to schedule an appointment or face being ignored, adding: "Do not wait in any hallway to speak to me. I hate being ambushed."

Defended his actions on US show Entertainment Tonight, Harvey said: "I just didn't want to be in this prison any more where I had to stay in this one little room, scared to go out and take a breath of fresh air without somebody approaching me, so I wrote the letter.

"I don't apologise about the letter."

He added: "I could not find a way to walk from the stage to my dressing room, to sit in my make-up chair, to walk from my dressing room to the stage or to just sit and have lunch without somebody just walking in."

In the letter, he said: "There will be no meetings in my dressing room. No stopping by or popping in. NO ONE.

"My security team will stop everyone from standing at my door who have the intent to see or speak to me.

"I want all the ambushing to stop now. That includes TV staff."

The TV host said he believes the memo was leaked by a "disgruntled" colleague who is angry at the show being moved from Chicago to Los Angeles.