Mickey Rourke’s short time on Celebrity Big Brother has turned into a possible legal fight. The 72-year-old actor was kicked off the show on Saturday after multiple incidents where he acted inappropriately and said offensive things to other contestants. He says being removed cost him a lot of money, and now his team is thinking about suing ITV and Banijay UK, the companies that make the show.
Rourke joined the reality show because he was reportedly struggling financially. As reported by TMZ and Us Weekly, he had a deal to get £500,000 just for appearing, but after being removed, he only got £50,000. His representative, Kimberly Hines, says this small amount doesn’t even cover his unexpected hotel costs.
She claims the show promised him five-star accommodations but then told him right before he arrived that they would only pay £300 per night. Because of this, Rourke had to cover a £50,000 hotel bill for himself and his team, which was a big problem since he was already in a tough financial spot. Hines also says Rourke would have earned much more money if he had stayed on the show just one more day.
Mickey Rourke is about to sue ‘Celebrity Big Brother’
The incidents that got Rourke kicked out involved several other contestants. He used homophobic insults toward JoJo Siwa and misogynistic language toward Ella Rae Wise, upsetting both of them. His biggest clash was with Chris Hughes during a pirate-themed challenge.
The argument got heated fast, with Rourke accusing Hughes of staring at him aggressively, leading to Rourke yelling curses and acting aggressively. This final outburst, along with his earlier offensive remarks, made Big Brother step in and remove him from the house. Even though Rourke apologized in the diary room, saying he felt ashamed and sorry, the show decided his behavior was too serious to overlook.
Hines argues that the producers knew Rourke had a short temper, calling him a “verbal loose cannon,” and used that to create drama and attract viewers. She says they intentionally let him act out to make the show more exciting, then kicked him off without paying him properly and even used his removal to promote the show. She believes this breaks their contract and is a way for the producers to avoid paying him what they owe.
The legal fight will depend on whose story is more believable. ITV and Banijay UK haven’t responded publicly yet, but Rourke’s claim that he was removed to avoid paying him clashes with the show’s explanation that he broke the rules too many times. The producers might argue that Rourke’s behavior was bad enough to justify kicking him out and that cutting his pay was fair because he broke the contract.
The case will likely focus on the details of the contract, whether the producers knew Rourke might cause problems, and whether his removal was truly because of his actions or if other reasons played a part. This situation could have big consequences. A lawsuit might reveal private messages and decisions made by the production team, showing how much they encouraged or allowed Rourke’s behavior.
Published: Apr 16, 2025 2:20 PM UTC