Mickey Rourke evicted from Celebrity Big Brother amid controversy

Hollywood star Mickey Rourke, 72, has been evicted from ITV's ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ after consistent bouts of unacceptable behavior and language. The BAFTA-winning actor of ‘The Wrestler’ left the show on Saturday, April 12, after a fiery fight with fellow housemate Chris Hughes and several other contestants' complaints about his behavior.
Rourke was evicted following a string of controversial moments during his week-long stay in the Big Brother compound. At the beginning of the week, he received a formal warning after making homophobic comments against ‘Dance Moms’ star JoJo Siwa, 21. At one point, Rourke questioned Siwa as to whether she liked boys or girls and subsequently made a derogatory remark: "If I stay for more than four days, you won't be gay anymore." Siwa insisted, "I can promise I'll still be gay and in a very happy relationship." While Rourke did apologize to Siwa afterwards, his actions still caused concern to housemates.
The incident escalated during a pirate-themed shopping challenge when Rourke had a row with ‘Love Island’ contestant Chris Hughes. Rourke allegedly showed threatening and aggressive behavior towards Hughes after being intimidated during the challenge. ITV highlighted that there was no physical fight but considered Rourke's behavior unacceptable. Another contestant, Ella Rae Wise, also complained about sexual remarks made by Rourke earlier in the day.
Big Brother summoned Rourke to the diary room to address his conduct. He was informed that his behavior violated house rules and caused offense to both housemates and viewers. In response, Rourke apologized: “I stepped over the line… I’ve been trying to work on my temper my whole life. I was ashamed of myself for just losing it there for a moment or two. Even after issuing an apology, Big Brother reasoned that there "was no alternative but to request [him] to leav"e.”
Rourke apologized for his mistakes when he left the household: "I blame myself… I've got a short fuse, and I know I upset a lot of people out there. I'm sorry for that." His exit came after public speculation about his eviction on Friday night's show, where he managed to stay on by the skin of his teeth along with ex-Tory MP Michael Fabricant and ‘Coronation Street’ star Jack P. Shepherd.
Rourke's stormy tenure on the show started with inconsiderate remarks to co-host AJ Odudu on his arrival. His actions created outrage on social media, with fans demanding that he be taken off the show. ITV has assured that all housemates undergo respect and inclusion training prior to entering the house and are under 24/7 supervision to maintain compliance with behavioral expectations.
This is the latest chapter in Rourke's tumultuous career, which has been marred by controversies even though he had given critically acclaimed performances in movies like ‘Angel Heart’ and ‘9½ Weeks.’ Even though his stint on ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ was brief, it will be remembered by viewers and other contestants for a long time.