Mickey Rourke wanted to leave Celebrity Big Brother, says Sir Michael Fabricant
By Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporter
Celebrity Big Brother star Sir Michael Fabricant has said Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke wanted to leave the house “on day one”.
The Bafta winner, 72, was asked to leave the show on Saturday after “further use of inappropriate language” and “instances of unacceptable behaviour”.
The PA news agency understands Rourke used behaviour and language that was considered to be threatening and aggressive during a task.
His behaviour was directed towards housemate Chris Hughes. No physical altercation took place.
A spokesperson for the ITV show 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 behaviour.”
Rourke had been put up for eviction alongside former Tory MP Sir Michael and Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd, but was saved by the public vote.
The first elimination took place on Friday and Sir Michael became the first to leave the house.
Sir Michael reposted a social media post on X announcing Rourke’s exit and wrote: “He wanted to leave on day one.”
In another post, he said: “Missing Danny (Beard), Jack, Donna (Preston), JoJo (Siwa) and nearly all of the others. I WANT TO GO BACK IN.”
Rourke received a formal warning from Big Brother earlier in the week for “unacceptable language and behaviour” directed at Siwa.
Love Island star Hughes, 32, had comforted former Dance Moms star Siwa during Wednesday’s episode after Rourke spoke about her sexuality and said he would “vote the lesbian out real quick”.
Oscar-nominated Rourke had also asked the 21-year-old singer if she “likes girls or boys”, and when she replied that she likes girls, he responded: “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay any more.”
Hughes told Rourke “you can’t say that” after the former boxer said he needed “a fag” and gestured to Siwa to add: “I’m not talking to you.”
In the diary room, Rourke was given a “formal warning” and Big Brother said: “Further language or behaviour of this nature could lead to you being removed from the Big Brother house.”
Rourke apologised to Siwa and said: “I want to apologise. I’ve got a habit of having a short fuse, and I don’t mean nothing by it.”
During Friday’s episode, Rourke said he thought he would be evicted and the actor also appeared to make EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer tearful after telling her she “can’t cook”.
She replied that she hoped he was making a “sarcastic joke” before she got up to leave the dinner table.
In the diary room, she broke down in tears and said: “I felt like I let myself down there.” She then said she did not “want my reactions to be like that”.
Rourke found fame after appearing in a string of early 1980s movies including neo-noir erotic thriller Body Heat and cult American movie Diner, starring Kevin Bacon and Steve Guttenberg.
His other films include romance 9 1/2 weeks, Marvel movie Iron Man 2, and action movies The Expendables, Sin City, and Man On Fire.
In 2009 he won the leading actor Bafta for his role playing retired professional wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler.
Celebrity Big Brother did not air on Saturday but will return to ITV1 on Sunday at 10pm.