Celebrity Big Brother contestant Mickey Rourke has been given a formal warning on the show after making homophobic remarks directed at 21-year-old Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa.
The 72-year-old actor, who has starred in Hollywood films alongside Robert De Niro, Kim Basinger and Bruce Willis, used a homophobic slur during a conversation with Siwa about her sexuality during tonight’s episode (Wednesday 9 April).
“Do you like girls or boys?” Rourke asks the singer.
Siwa, who went public with her relationship with partner Kath Ebbs this year, replies: “Me? Girls. My partner is non-binary.”
He then says: “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore,” before proceeding to say he will “tie” her up.
Siwa pushes back at the comment, saying: “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay, and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.”
Later speaking to Chris Hughes in the garden, Rourke says he is going to “vote out the lesbian real quick”.
Overhearing the exchange, Siwa tells him: “That’s homophobic, if that was your reasoning.”
Rourke then announces he is going to smoke a cigarette, stating that he “needs a fag”. He then points at Siwa, saying, “I’m not talking to you.”
After being told he “can’t say that”, Rourke replies: “I know. I was talking about a cigarette.”
Shortly after the exchange in the garden, Big Brother calls Rourke into the Diary Room, where he is issued a formal warning for his “offensive and unacceptable” language.
Big Brother says: “Mickey, Big Brother thinks your language was offensive and unacceptable.”
“Alright. I can understand that,” replies Mickey.
Big Brother continues: “As a result, Big Brother is giving you a formal warning. Further language or behaviour of this nature could lead to you being removed from the Big Brother house. Mickey, do you understand?”
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Mickey says: “Yes I do. It’s some serious stuff.”
Big Brother replies: “Mickey, is there anything you’d like to say?”
Mickey adds: “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.”
After leaving the diary room, Rourke finds out that Siwa was left upset by his remarks, and he asks if she’s okay.
Siwa tells him that for future reference, the slur he used is not acceptable.
Rourke later speaks to Siwa and says, “I want to apologise. I’ve got a habit of having a short fuse. And I don’t mean nothing by it. I do mean it [sorry]. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t say it to you.”
Siwa says: “I appreciate your apology.”
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 comments come after he faced criticism for “grabbing” and “ogling” host AJ Odudu during the launch episode on Monday night (8 April). After shaking her co-host Will Best’s hand during the episode, Rourke offered his hand to Odudu and gave her a twirl before pulling her close to his body. “Careful, Mickey,” Best could be heard saying.
Odudu laughed the moment off and, as she tried to engage him in conversation, he stared at her backside so much that Odudu told him: “Stop looking at me!”
When the pair tried to usher him into the house, he remained in place and, continuing to stare at Odudu, said: “I wanna stay with you.”
Odudu, whose professionalism was praised after the episode, addressed the incident during the aftershow.
“[His tongue] literally was [hanging out],” she said. “I was like, ‘You can’t afford these feathers, Mickey, no!’”
The events have caused viewers to call for the actor to be axed from the series, with one person writing on X/Twitter: “He should be removed for this. It’s Disturbing, particularly after how he was with AJ, too.”
Another added: “Misogyny and homophobia go hand in hand. He should be immediately removed.”
“Aside from the obvious homophobia there (which is disgusting and inexcusable) the ‘if I stay more than 4 days you won’t be gay anymore’ is pretty disgusting considering his age compared to JoJo,” said another.
Rourke’s representatives declined to comment.
The series continues at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.
