Mickey Rourke was reprimanded on Celebrity Big Brother UK after using a homophobic slur toward fellow housemate JoJo Siwa.
Big Brother issued Rourke a formal warning after an uncomfortable exchange with Siwa in the reality TV competition.
In a conversation with Rourke, the former boxer asked Siwa if they liked girls or boys.
“Me? Girls. My partner is non-binary,” Siwa replied.
“If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore,” Rourke added, to which Siwa then said, “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore.”
In the garden, and in a conversation with Chris Hughes, Rourke tells him, “I’m going to vote the lesbian out real quick.”
Siwa overhears this exchange and says, “That’s homophobic, if that was your reasoning.”
Rourke makes things worse, saying, “I need a f*g,” gesturing to Siwa and adding, “I’m not talking to you.”
Hughes calls out Rourke for using that word and the actor clarifies, “I know. I was talking about a cigarette.”
Siwa is left upset by the exchange, and Rourke is called into the Diary Room.
“Mickey Rourke was reprimanded on Celebrity Big Brother UK after using a homophobic slur toward fellow housemate JoJo Siwa,” Big Brother tells Rourke. “Mickey, do you understand how this language could be offensive to your Housemates or the viewing public?”
Rourke says, “Yeah I think so. If I was saying it in a nasty kind of way or if I truly meant it.”
Big Brother adds, “Yeah I think so. If I was saying it in a nasty kind of way or if I truly meant it. 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.”
Rourke is given an opportunity to say something following the warning, to which he says, “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.”
On his way out of the Diary Room, Rourke tells his fellow housemates, “Boy, did I get chewed out,” and clarifies that he “didn’t say it out of meanness.”
Rourke turns to Siwa and asks if she’s OK, to which the dancer says, “As a future, using the word f** is not an acceptable word.”
Later on, Rourke apologizes to Siwa saying, “I want to apologize. 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.”
“I appreciate your apology,” Siwa adds.
Celebrity Big Brother UK airs weeknights at 9 p.m. BST on ITV1 and ITVX.
Watch the preview below.
