Mickey Rourke will no longer be on Celebrity Big Brother UK due to his “unacceptable behavior.” The current season of the reality show, which sees celebrities live in a house together with no contact with the outside world, began airing on Monday, April 6, 2025. Shortly after the season started, actor Mickey Rourke was given a “formal warning” after making homophobic comments.
On the show, Mickey, 72, asked JoJo Siwa, 21, if she likes boys or girls. She told him that she likes girls and that her current partner is nonbinary. “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore,” Mickey told her. In response, JoJo asserted that she “can guarantee I’ll still be gay, and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.”
Later, when speaking to Love Island‘s Chris Hughes, Mickey said that he would “vote the lesbian out real quick.” JoJo heard the actor’s comment and told him it was “homophobic.” Then, Mickey proceeded to use a homophobic slur, saying, “I need a f–.” Chris went to comfort JoJo, and she started to cry.
Just days after that controversy, Mickey made more offensive comments and was also involved in a heated confrontation with Chris. The confrontation was not physical, but Mickey reportedly displayed “threatening and aggressive” behavior, per People.
In a statement shared with the publication, a spokesperson for Celebrity Big Brother UK said, “Mickey Rourke has agreed to leave the Celebrity Big Brother House this evening following a discussion with Big Brother regarding further use of inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behavior.”
Mickey was also informed that he “used inappropriate sexual language to Ella [Rae Wise]” while on the show. According to Variety, Ella told Mickey to come with her at one point on the show. In response, Mickey said, “Come in you?”
After agreeing to leave the show, Mickey addressed his problematic behavior. “I’m sorry. I can’t take it back, you know, I stepped over the line and I take responsibility for doing the wrong thing,” he said. “Because I lost my temper, and I’ve been trying to work on it my whole life. And I wish I would have had better self control and I’m very sorry. I’m ashamed of myself for losing it for a few seconds there.”
The actor also described himself as a “work in progress.”
“I blame myself,” he continued. “I know it was my bad, you know, I’ve got a short fuse. I know I upset a lot of people out there. I’m sorry for that. I’m actually ashamed of myself for getting that hot. I went over the line, you know, I did wrong. I guess I could say I’m a work in progress.”
