Mickey Rourke has expressed regret over his controversial behavior on Celebrity Big Brother UK, calling himself "ashamed" of his actions during a heated exchange with fellow contestant Chris Hughes. The 72-year-old actor was asked to leave the show on Saturday, April 12, after being found in violation of house rules.
In footage aired on Sunday, April 13, Rourke was told by Big Brother that his language was "offensive and threatening." He responded with an apology, saying, "I stepped over the line. I take responsibility for doing the wrong thing. I'm very sorry."
During a group task, Rourke clashed with Hughes and used an expletive-laden insult. The incident followed an earlier warning after Rourke made homophobic comments to fellow housemate JoJo Siwa. He told Siwa that if he stayed longer in the house, "you won’t be gay anymore." Siwa, 21, responded firmly: "I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and in a very happy relationship."
Later, Rourke was heard saying he would "vote the lesbian out real quick," prompting Siwa to label the remark "homophobic." Big Brother formally warned him in the diary room, and Rourke apologized to Siwa, admitting he had a short fuse and didn’t mean harm.
“I’m ashamed of myself for getting that hot,” he said. “I guess I can say I’m a work in progress.”
A spokesperson for Celebrity Big Brother confirmed that Rourke had agreed to leave after further discussions about his behavior. Rourke’s representative, Kimberly Hines, told Us Weekly that the actor “speaks from his heart” and is “100 percent authentically himself.”
Despite the apology, the incident has drawn criticism and reignited discussions about behavior standards on reality TV.
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