Controversial Celebrity Big Brother star Mickey Rourke showed the public another side to him during Thursday’s episode as he opened up about his childhood abuse and dealing with the Secret Service in a series of shock confessions.
Earlier this week, the 72-year-old actor had faced calls to be axed after becoming embroiled in a homophobia war with lesbian housemate JoJo Siwa, 21.
Now, however, he is the favourite to stay during Friday night’s eviction, with bookies placing his odds of leaving 9/1, while his odds of winning are a promising 7/1.
Coral have predicted that politician Michael Fabricant will be first to be evicted with odds of 1/4, followed by Coronation Street‘s Jack Shepherd at 7/2.
On Thursday, Mickey shocked his housemates when he candidly opened up about the childhood trauma that has left him with lifelong insomnia.
Despite his housemates noting that he seemed to spend quite a lot of time sleeping, Mickey insisted that he can ‘stay awake anywhere from one to four days’.
Controversial Celebrity Big Brother star Mickey Rourke showed the public another side to him on Thursday as he opened up about his childhood abuse and dealing with the Secret Service
As Danny Beard mused: ‘You do drift off, I think you sleep more than you think’, Mickey intercepted: ‘I would pay millions of dollars to get more sleep.’
JoJo then asked: ‘What in you makes you not able to sleep?’
To which Mickey replied: ‘Fear. It’s like my childhood is something else but fear of not being able to fix anything before I go…’
Danny interjected: ‘You can’t put that responsibility on yourself’, and Mickey replied: ‘I have to.
‘When I was 14, all the abuse I went through… I put my finger on the hard button ’cause I didn’t want to live in shame, I didn’t want to be a victim anymore…
‘I’m sorry, I’m starting to be – because I haven’t been around people in about six years. I self isolate, isolated.
‘Ever since I’ve been 30 I’ve had a girlfriend every four years, I chose all wrong. I chose for…’
As his housemates watched on bemused but sympathetic, Danny jumped up to give him a hug and assured him: ‘Mickey, you’ll be surprised how many connections you’ve got in here.’
Mickey previously opened up about the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his stepfather, writing about it in PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk’s book, One Can Make a Difference: How Simple Actions Can Change the World.
Mickey has previously revealed that he was attacked by his stepfather as a child (pictured with his brother Joey in childhood)
He penned: ‘My stepfather used to crack my head just because he felt like it. He was big, very big, and mean. And he was physically abusive to my mother.
‘I hated the f***er for hurting her, for making her afraid. For years, I wanted nothing more than to take him down.
‘In our neighborhood, there was some community services centre set up to give kids a place to go and to keep us out of trouble. That’s where I first found a speed [punching] bag. To me, it represented a ticket to manhood.
‘I couldn’t beat my stepfather, so I guess I started taking it out on everyone else over time. When I was an adult, I would fight everywhere, anywhere, for anything.
‘Look at me sideways and you’re gone. I didn’t care about the consequences. I was drinking and taking drugs. But more than that, I was angry and crazy and ashamed of how I’d been treated.
‘I’d been kicked around a lot, so I figured the way to fix this was to lash out.’
Elsewhere in Celebrity Big Brother, Mickey spoke about his controversies as an adult, bizarrely launching into his dealings with the Secret Service while making his nominations.
After initially refusing to nominate, Mickey then opted for former Conservative MP Michael Fabricant.
Despite his housemates noting that he seemed to spend quite a lot of time sleeping, Mickey insisted that he can ‘stay awake anywhere from one to four days’
Explaining his reasons, Mickey mused: ‘He’s a politician. Politics in general, they’re telling you what they’re going to do on one hand, and on the other hand they’re not going to do a thing.
‘He’s involved in politics which I don’t find very truthful and honest.
‘I got myself in some hot water back in the United States making some comments about a particular person that I’m not gonna mention but it was no laughing matter when the Secret Service came to talk to me.’
Mickey has been outspoken on his views on politics, getting caught up in a decades-long feud with President Donald Trump that started back in the Nineties when he trashed a hotel room with rapper Tupac and ended up being sued by the businessman.
During an appearance on Talk TV in 2022, the star admitted he has received visits from the Secret Service following on from his comments about Trump.
As host Piers Morgan attempted to pry over his thoughts on Trump, Mickey remained tight-lipped as he replied: ‘They call it the United States of America, but it’s now the Divided States of America, and there’s one big reason for that, but I’m not going to go into it because I don’t need another visit from the Secret Service.’
‘Was it something you said about President Trump?’ Piers asked as Mickey replied: ‘Just the truth’.
When pressed further by Piers, Mickey added: ‘Read my mind.’
Mickey spoke about his controversies as an adult, bizarrely launching into his dealings with the Secret Service while nominating former Tory MP Michael Fabricant for eviction
Mickey previously spoke of how he made an enemy of Donald Trump after wild night with Tupac back in the Nineties (pictured in 1994)
Taking to X/Twitter during Celebrity Big Brother, viewers shared their delight at Mickey opening up on the show.
They penned: ‘Never knew Mickey Rourke was abused as a child. And now he can’t sleep because of fear and insomnia. Awh goes to show you never know what someone’s been through #CBBUK’;
‘I did feel sorry for Mickey tonight when he mentioned his abuse he went through when he was younger.. (I’m not excusing his behaviour since arrival) but I’m showing compassion for someone who has clearly lived with abuse trauma for decades . #CBBUK’;
‘#CBBUK I hope Mickey stays in. He’s the most entertaining and funny in there. He’s misunderstood I think and from what he said he seems to have suffered abuse as a child . I feel sorry for him.’;
‘Mickey’s nomination revolving around the secret service turning up at his door because of things he said about Donald Trump? This show is NOT REAL #CBBUK’;
‘Mickey should spill more tea about the secret service neowww #CBBUK’; ‘Mickey admitting the secret service were after him #cbbuk Insane’.
Mickey faces the first eviction on Friday night after being given a killer nomination by JoJo.
He will go up against MP Michael and actor Jack, who received the most nominations from the remaining housemates.
Celebrity Big Brother’s first live eviction airs at 9pm on Friday night on ITV2 and ITVX
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org
CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2025: MEET THE LINEUP!
MICKEY ROURKE
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
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
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.
