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Mickey Rourke’s homophobic and misogynistic tirade against JoJo Siwa has become ITV‘s most complained about episode of Celebrity Big Brother to date.
The 72-year-old actor’s actions sparked a huge backlash, ahead of his axe from the house, with a whopping 1,000 people complaining to media watchdog Ofcom.
This is not the first time a Celebrity Big Brother has been hit by complaints, with 25K contacting the watchdog in 2018, when the show was transmitted on Channel 5, over Roxanne Pallet wrongly accusing fellow housemate Ryan Thomas of punching her.
Meanwhile in 2007, while being transmitted on Channel 4, 44K lodged grievances over late Jade Goody‘s ‘racist’ treatment of Shilpa Shetty.
But since the celeb spin-off series was rebooted by ITV last year, Mickey’s shocking treatment of the Dance Moms star, 22, has become the broadcaster’s most complained about episode to date.
Mickey was kicked out of the house on Saturday for inappropriate behaviour, after squaring up to Chris Hughes and making a sexual comment to Ella Rae Wise.
Meanwhile his controversial arrival in the house during Monday’s live launch brought another 78 complaints for his ‘behaviour’ towards host AJ Odudu.
Viewers were left stunned as Mickey appeared to leer at the ITV host just moments after arriving, with AJ visibly uncomfortable during the encounter and telling him to ‘stop looking at me’.
But it was his offensive comments to JoJo, in only his third day in the house already sparked the biggest backlash from viewers.
According to media watchdog Ofcom, the episode airing 9 April attracted 1,010 complaints related to Mickey’s ‘behaviour and language towards JoJo Siwa’, which left her in tears.
Wednesday’s episode caused outrage after the Hollywood star branded lesbian dancer JoJo a ‘f*g’ and insinuated he would be able to ‘make her straight’ during their time in the house, before threatening to ‘tie her up’.
Discussing her sexuality, Mickey asked the influencer: ‘Do you like girls or boys?’ to which she replied: ‘Me? Girls. My partner is non-binary.’
Doubling down on his claims he would be able to change her sexuality, Mickey then insists: ‘If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore.’
JoJo then replied: ‘I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.’
Later in the garden, Mickey asked Chris if everyone had to vote one another out of the house, with the Wrestler star stating: ‘I’m going to vote the lesbian out real quick.’
JoJo overheard and hit back: ‘That’s homophobic, if that was your reasoning’, as Chris defended her by interjecting: ‘You can’t do that Mickey’.
Undeterred, Mickey continued: ‘I need a fag’ before gesturing to JoJo and adding: ‘I’m not talking to you.’
Chris once again hits back saying, ‘Mickey, you can’t say that’, to which he replied: ‘I know. I was talking about a cigarette.
While JoJo was left visibly upset by the exchanged as Chris comforted her, Mickey was then called to the Diary Room and issued a warning.
Big Brother told: ‘Mickey before you entered the Big Brother house the rules regarding unacceptable language and behaviour were explained to you.’
He then read back the entire exchange to Mickey, adding: ‘Mickey, do you understand how this language could be offensive to your Housemates or the viewing public?’
Mickey replied: ‘Yeah I think so. If I was saying it in a nasty kind of way or if I truly meant it.’
Big Brother continued: ‘Mickey, Big Brother thinks your language was offensive and unacceptable, with Mickey saying: ‘Alright. I can understand that’.
Big Brother then issued the star with a formal warning and explained: ‘Further language or behaviour of this nature could lead to you being removed from the Big Brother house. Mickey, do you understand?’
Mickey added: ‘Yes I do. It’s some serious stuff.’
Prompted by Big Brother he finally said sorry as he confessed: ‘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.’
He was finally ejected from the house after he exploded into a foul-mouthed rant amid an aggressive altercation with Love Island’s Chris, 32.
The final confrontation occurred during the pirate-themed shopping task when Mickey accused Chris of ‘eyeballing’ him’ before calling the reality star a ‘c***’.
It began when JoJo, who had been given the role of captain, lined up her fellow housemates, asking: ‘Ahoy. How have things been going out here?’
‘There is a rat among us, Captain’ since-evicted housemate Trisha Goddard, 67, said and when Chris turned to Mickey, the actor fumed: ‘You looking at me?’
While JoJo attempted to defuse the situation and Chris assured Mickey it was simply a joke, the actor exploded: ‘Don’t eyeball me.’
‘Don’t f***ing eyeball me. You c***,’ he went on, as more housemates continued to try and calm the furious actor down. As tensions boiled, Chris said: ‘F***ing stand there’ before Mickey was told to go to the diary room ‘immediately’.
‘Mickey, it was a joke,’ Chris said again, only for the actor to point at the ground and reply: ‘No, your a** will be right there in a second.’
In the Diary Room, Big Brother told Mickey: ‘Earlier today in a disagreement with Chris, your language and behaviour was threatening and aggressive.
‘Big Brother does not tolerate threatening language or behaviour. In addition, you have used inappropriate sexual language to Ella.’
Big Brother reminded Mickey that this was not the first time he had been spoken to about his ‘offensive and inappropriate’ language – after his homophobic comments to JoJo and offending other members of the house earlier in the week.
He proffered: ‘Yes sir. I did wrong. I apologise. 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. ‘Cause 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. Nobody got touched or hurt. Maybe some feelings got hurt or maybe others have feelings about others getting upset but, you know, I’m sorry about that’.
However Big Brother said that his behaviour was considered ‘seriously unacceptable’ and they had ‘no option’ but to ask him to leave.
Celebrity Big Brother airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2025: MEET THE LINEUP!
MICKEY ROURKE – AXED
AGE: 72
FAMOUS FOR: The actor and former pro boxer is one of the show’s biggest ever signings and after public feuds with Robert De Niro, two marriages and a string of high profile relationships, he will be bringing plenty of drama.
DALEY THOMPSON
AGE: 66
FAMOUS FOR: The double Olympic gold-medallist is considered one of Britain’s greatest athletes. He broke the decathlon world record four times.
PATSY PALMER
AGE: 52
FAMOUS FOR: It’s an open secret that Patsy is leaving EastEnders, with the actress enjoying a wild leaving party this month. The Bianca Jackson star posted a snap of her character on Instagram with the caption: ‘Bye bye B, always grateful to see her again.’
DONNA PRESTON
AGE: 38
FAMOUS FOR: While Donna has featured in several TV shows and movies, the comedy star is known for hosting Apocalypse and for the role of a circus Compere in 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald. She plays Den in Coronation Street, has featured in Pants On Fire in 2019 and even wrote and co-produced BBC Three’s Comedy Threesomes.
CHESNEY HAWKES
AGE: 53
FAMOUS FOR: The singer topped the charts for five weeks in 1991 with his hit The One And Only, before making a string of acting and TV appearances. His arrival on CBB has been described by a TV source as ‘perfect timing’, as he’s just released a comeback album
ANGELLICA BELL
AGE: 49
FAMOUS FOR: The TV presenter is said to have landed a staggering five-figure deal to appear on Celebrity Big Brother. Fans will be keen to see if the CBBC legend spills all on her untimely exit from The Martin Lewis Show – which left fans baffled back in 2023. Angellica currently co-presents Hits Radio while Fleur East is on maternity leave.
DANNY BEARD
AGE: 32
FAMOUS FOR: The RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner – whose real name is Daniel Curtis – has signed up as a late entry. Danny previously made headlines after swearing on Big Brother’s Late & Live last March whilst doing an impression of housemate Louis Walsh. The incident saw the guest say the word ‘c***’ before immediately apologising after being informed they weren’t allowed to say that on the show.
CHRIS HUGHES
AGE: 32
FAMOUS FOR: After shooting to fame on Love Island in 2017, Chris went on to become a sports presenter and regularly hosts the horse racing coverage on ITV.
JOJO SIWA
AGE: 21
FAMOUS FOR: The American singer, who shot to stardom on reality show Dance Moms, is expected to draw a big American audience. The hitmaker has made a name for herself in the U.S. pop charts and is known for her outlandish looks and being a vocal member of the LGBTQ+ community.
TRISHA GODDARD – OUT
AGE: 67
FAMOUS FOR: The talk show host regularly presented on ITV from 1998 to 2004 and then shifted to Channel 5 from 2004 to 2010. Trisha has been suffering horrible side effects of her chemotherapy – but has bravely battled on.
JACK P. SHEPHERD
AGE: 37
FAMOUS FOR: The actor has played David Platt in Corrie since 2000 and is following in his pal Colson Smith’s footsteps by taking part in the popular reality show. He has won a string of awards for the role including Best Actor at the British Soap Awards.
ELLA RAE WISE
AGE: 24
FAMOUS FOR: Producers have been keen to land the TV personality, who previously dated Pete Wicks and has had an on-off romance with Dan Edgar. Bosses are hoping the TOWIE star might reveal all about some of her other famous exes.
MICHAEL FABRICANT – OUT
AGE: 74
FAMOUS FOR: The former Conservative politician is understood to have signed a lucrative six-figure deal to take part after political stars were banned from the broadcaster’s other reality show, I’m A Celeb. He served as MP for Lichfield in Staffordshire from 1992 until his defeat in 2024 as well as vice-chairman of the party under David Cameron. But he is perhaps best known for his blond mop for which he has been widely ridiculed but previously denied is a wig.
