Mickey Rourke issued warning by Celebrity Big Brother producers following homophobic comments to Jojo Siwa
In tonight's episode, Rourke can be heard telling telling Love Island star Chris Hughes: “I’m going to vote the lesbian out real quick”
By Gary Grimes
It’s not even Day 3 in the Celebrity Big Brother house and already Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke has had to be reprimanded by producers due to homophobic remarks.
In tonight’s episode, viewers will see the star be issued a formal warning following a conversation with former Nickelodeon star Jojo Siwa.
“Do you like girls or boys?” Rourke asks Siwa, who came out as a pansexual in 2021, to which she replies: “Me? Girls. My partner is non-binary.”
The 72 year old actor and former boxer then responds: “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore.”
“I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship,” replies Siwa, who is 21.
Later, in a conversation with Love Island star Chris Hughes, Rourke discusses the nominations process, telling Huges: “I’m going to vote the lesbian out real quick.”
JoJo overhears and bites back, saying: “That’s homophobic, if that was your reasoning.”
“You can’t do that Mickey,” Hughes says in defence of Siwa, who we saw him befriending in last night’s episode. Mickey then says: “I need a fag,” before gesturing to JoJo and saying: “I’m not talking to you.”
JoJo is left upset by the exchange and is comforted by Chris. In response to this exchange, producers issued Rourke with a formal warning which he accepts, telling Big Brother: “I apologise. I don’t have dishonourable intentions – I’m just talking smack you know. I wasn’t taking it all so serious. I didn’t mean in it any bad intentions and if I did, sorry.”
Later in the episode, we hear Rourke tell Hughes that he didn’t say his comment out of “meanness”.
“I understand you might have thought it would be uninsulting but it’s the way it’s perceived on other people,” Hughes tells him. “JoJo was very upset earlier, bless her.”
Rourke turns to Siwa and says, “You were? Sorry. Are we ok?”
“As a future, using the word f** is not an acceptable word,” former child star Siwa responds.
In a group conversation, Drag Race champion Danny Beard is seen showing compassion for Rourke. “I disagree with how it panned out from how you handled it but that also doesn’t mean I’m going to dig my feet in and ostracise you in the group,” Beard tells him. “I’d love you to see it from another point of view, I’d love you to be part of the group and I don’t want you to feel like you’re not.”
Celebrity Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.