Celebrity Big Brother 2025 LIVE: Mickey Rourke faraway from ITV collection after ‘unacceptable’ behaviour
Celebrity Big Brother is officially back – and in the past week we’ve seen a new selection of famous (and not-so-famous) faces live together in the reality show house.
Controversial contestant Mickey Rourke, 72, has been the cause of significant controversy after he was issued a formal warning by Big Brother for making homophobic comments directed at 21-year-old Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa during Wednesday night’s episode (9 April).
On Saturday (12 April), it was revealed he had been kicked off the show by producers after an “unacceptable” run-in with Chris Hughes that will be shown in Sunday’s episode.
The controversy began with Rourke “ogled” the reality show’s co-host AJ Odudu upon his entrance, which had caused viewers to call for the actor to be axed from the series. One person wrote on X/Twitter: “He should be removed for this. It’s disturbing, particularly after how he was with AJ, too.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the programme told The Independent: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectation for appropriate behaviour and language.
“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and instances of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with appropriately and timely.” Rourke’s representatives declined to comment.
While many thought Rourke would get the boot during Friday night’s eviction, former Tory MP Michael Fabricant was eliminated.
The series continues on Sunday at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.
Mickey Rourke ejected from ‘CBB’
It was announced on Saturday (12 April), that the Hollywood actor “has agreed to leave” the show following a discussion with Big Brother regarding further use of inappropriate language and instances of “unacceptable behaviour”.
While the specific incident that led to Rourke’s departure is yet to be revealed, it’s believed it occurred during a disagreement with Love Island star and sports broadcaster Hughes.
Rourke’s behaviour during the interaction “was considered to be threatening and aggressive”, although it’s been stressed that “no physical altercation took place”.
More here:
ITV’s response to Mickey Rourke’s homophobic comment
Before Mickey Rourke’s ejection from Celebrity Big Brother, he was given a formal warning – and an ITV spokesperson said in response: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectation for appropriate behaviour and language.
“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and instances of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with appropriately and timely.”
Mickey Rourke’s bizarre Trump story
Throughout his week on the show, Rourke has also been asked by his fellow contestants about his Hollywood career as well as his views on Donald Trump, whom he is not a fan of.
Viewers were then left wondering about a certain situation after his cryptic comments in the Diary Room, in which he claimed he was visited by the Secret Service for bad mouthing the US president
According to the actor: “I got myself in some hot water back in the United States making some comments about a particular person I’m not gonna mention. But it was no laughing matter when the Secret Service came and talked to me.”
Mickey Rourke’s ‘CBB’ removal was inevitable
Ahead of Rourke’s Celebrity Big Brother entrance, The Independent’s Adam White wrote how The Wrestler and 9½ Weeks star had a frustrating propensity for self-sabotage – and how being on the shwo could be his “most horrific career decision yet”.
Read the full piece here:
Mickey Rourke was ‘saved’ from eviction after opening up about his childhood
CBB viewers believe Mickey Rourke might have saved himself from being evicted on Friday after opening up about his childhood and his “fear of not being able to fix everything before I go”.
Chris Hughes praised for pushing back against Mickey Rourke comments
Days before a run-in that would result in Mickey Rourke being ejected from Celebrity Big Brother, Chris Hughes was praised for defending JoJo Siwa from his homophobic comments.
Hughes, who rose to fame on season three of Love Island in 2017, appeared to be the only housemate to step in and intervene, telling Rourke, “Mickey, you can’t say that.”
AJ Odudu addresses Mickey Rourke ‘ogling’ furore
AJ Odudu professionally handled a situation that saw Mickey Rourke “ogle” her during the Celebrity Big Brother launch show.
The moment was addressed on aftershow Late & Live when comedian Alan Carr, who was on the show’s panel, said: “Can we talk about Mickey Rourke looking at you? Wow his eyes. Find someone who looks at you the way Mickey looks at you. His tongue was hanging out.”
Odudu responded: “It literally was. I was like, “You can’t afford these feathers, Mickey, no!’”
Graham Norton once named Mickey Rourke as one of his toughest interview
Irish TV host Graham Norton previously revealed that he struggled to interview Mickey Rourke, describing the Wrestler actor as “hard work” due to the fact he had drunk half a bottle of Jack Daniels upon his arrival to the Graham Norton Show studios.
“I just happened to be standing there when he got out of the car and he was holding a bottle of Jack Daniels, which is already worrying.
“But then we noticed the bottle of Jack Daniels was half-empty. It soon became very clear where that Jack Daniels had gone.”
Rourke appeared on the series in 2008 alongside Jessica Biel and Martha Wainwright.
Mickey Rourke’s hefty ‘CBB’ salary ‘in dispute’ after removal
Mickey Rourke was this year’s star Celebrity Big Brother signing, with the actor receiving a reported £500,000 to enter the house.
But, according to reports, his removal from the show – after an “aggressive” row with fellow housemate Chris Hughes – might affect how much he’ll receive.
A source told The Sun: “If a celebrity gets removed from the house, they don’t get the full fee. It’s as simple as that and they will be discussing that with him.
“Mickey was ready to leave the house and it ended up feeling like a mutual decision between him and ITV in the end. It was getting too much.”
Mickey Rourke took aim at Patsy Palmer’s cooking
During his time in the Celebrity Big Brother house, Mickey Rourke routinely complained about EastEnders actor Patsy Palmer’s cooking.
Rourke told his fellow housemates, including Palmer, that Big Brother “needed to work” on delivering better meals, unaware that it was actually Palmer who had been cooking.
Days later, Rourke proceeded to tell Palmer that she “can’t cook”, adding: “Not even a little bit.”
Palmer got emotional about the comments in the Diary Room.
