Celebrity Big Brother viewers have already taken to social media to express their discomfort following the opening episode of the hit reality TV show, which saw a host of new celebrities enter the house. However, there was one person in particular that led viewers' to speak out.
Mickey Rourke, 72, joined the Big Brother House and greeted the presenter AJ Odudu in such a manner that viewers took to X to share their thoughts, with one person posting: "Micky getting cancelled before he even gets in the house for being inappropriate," while another posted: "Jokes aside. Mickey Rourke made AJ very uncomfortable when he was entering the house.
© ITV"I do hope he goes out soon as that behaviour was unpleasant & unprofessional. We all know what Kim Woodburn would say. I hope AJ is okay."
A third person added: "Everyone's joking about Mickey Rourke and I get why, but I want to be serious for a second. No female TV presenter should be made to feel like AJ just did. He shouldn't have been allowed on this show if he can't contol himself around women. I hated that ngl."
© Shutterstock for Big BrotherAJ's fellow host Alan Carr addressed the moment on the spin-off show, Late and Live, saying: "Can we talk about Mickey Rourke looking at you? Wow his eyes. Find someone who looks at you the way Mickey looks at you [AJ]. His tongue was hanging out." AJ made light of the situation, adding: "It literally was. I was like 'You can't afford these feathers Mickey, no!'"
Others also pointed out that he was set to be a fascinating member of the house, posting: "Love him or hate him. Mickey Rourke is gonna make this series of CBB."
Mickey is a prolific Hollywood star whose career has had several ups and downs. Speaking to the New York Times back in 2003, he explained: "I remember looking at myself in the mirror and thinking, look at what happened to you. I had blown everything, you know?
"I lost my credibility, my marriage, my money, my soul. I said to myself, you’ve got to change. And I realised that the acting was the only thing I had left."
© Mike MarslandHe went on to win a series of prestigious awards throughout his career, and was even nominated for Best Actor at the 2008 Oscars for his role in The Wrestler, losing out to Sean Penn. Following the hit role, he went on to star in Iron Man 2, Immortals and The Expendables.
5 biggest CBB controversies
© ShutterstockShilpa Shetty racism row
In 2005, Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara, and Danielle Lloyd were accused of bullying Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in a racist manner. The contestants nicknamed Shilpa 'Shilpa Poppadom' and used other offensive terms. This led to widespread outrage in India. After Jade was evicted, she apologised for her actions, stating that she was "disgusted" by her behaviour upon watching the footage.
Roxanne Pallet's false accusation
In 2018, Roxanne Pallett falsely accused her co-star Ryan Thomas of assault during a playful moment. Ryan had lightly jabbed her while pretending to box, but Roxanne, in tears, claimed he should be removed for "punching" her "like a boxer". Viewers felt that she exaggerated the situation. After leaving the show, Roxanne apologised for her false claims, admitting that she had "got it wrong".
Tiffany Pollard's 'David's dead' confusion
A memorable moment from the 2016 series of Celebrity Big Brother occurred when contestant Angie Bowie was informed of the death of her ex-husband, David Bowie. Tiffany Pollard, upon hearing the news, mistakenly thought it referred to fellow contestant David Gest, who was sleeping at the time, and began screaming in confusion - causing the house to erupt into chaos.
Biggins' bigotry
In 2006, panto star Christopher Biggins was removed from the show after making several offensive remarks about bisexuality, race, and religion. Biggins, who is gay, controversially described bisexuals as the "worst type" of people in the LGBTQ+ community and made inappropriate connections between being bisexual and the global AIDS crisis.
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu's OnlyFans rant
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, a Love Island star, went from being a fan favourite to a more controversial figure. She made hostile remarks toward some housemates and criticised individuals who used OnlyFans, stating, "I’d rather have zero pounds than a million pounds doing it the wrong way, but having pride."
Speaking about his stint in the Celebrity Big Brother House, he admitted that he had no idea of what to expect, saying: "I have no expectations. I’ve never seen it. I'm just going to go in, do my thing, and we'll see."
