Mickey Rourke, 72, fans rage at ITV ‘double standards’ as CBB host makes crude remark hours after actor’s exit
Celebrity Big Brother presenter Will Best has sparked claims of “double standards” and “hypocrisy” by ITV viewers following jokes he made after Mickey Rourke’s exit.
The Hollywood actor was asked to leave the house on Saturday following a “threatening” and “seriously unacceptable” altercation with Love Island star Chris Hughes, days after he received a formal warning for “homophobic” comments towards JoJo Siwa.
Big Brother also collared Rourke for “inappropriate” sexual remarks towards The Only Way is Essex star, Ella Rae Wise.
Rourke apologised for losing his temper with Hughes and similarly said sorry for his causing offence to Wise, but Big Brother said it has “no option” but to ask the 72-year-old to leave.
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As expected, due to the nature of his exit, Rourke didn’t appear on Late and Live to discuss his time in the house. However, presenter Best was joined by a number of guests to share their thoughts on the saga.
Keeping up with the show’s pirate-themed task, Best opened Sunday’s show wearing a pirate’s hat as he introduced his panel – using some rather unsavoury quips to get the crowd going.
Introducing former Big Brother housemate Henry Southam, Best remarked he could “jolly his Roger any time he likes”, sparking a baffled look from the reality TV star.
Best went on to introduce former housemates Jordan Sangha and Ali Bromley as well as Real Housewives of Cheshire star Lauren Simon, but it was a comment to former CBB winner David Potts that sparked the biggest reaction.
“His favourite part about being a pirate is the endless amounts of ‘seamen’… it’s David Potts!” Best yelled, which left the reality star open-eyed in shock.
Best attempted to distance himself from the gag by asking who wrote the jokes on the autocue, but that didn’t stop fans at home from taking issue with the crude nature of the joke, given Rourke had come under such scrutiny for his comments.
Sharing a clip of the moment on X, one fan wrote in the accompanying caption: “So it’s only acceptable for certain people to make crude comments. Ahh, I see now… Will Best [tick], Mickey Rourke [cross], #cbb #cbbuk #cbbll #bbuk.”
Others soon joined the debate to echo the point, with a second arguing: “Don’t agree with what Mickey said to Ella but didn’t Will Best just do exact same innuendo? So many double standards, Danny hit the nail on the head tonight by the saying the comments he makes are unacceptable, you can’t help but like him, he does need looking after #CBBUK.”
A third waded into the debate: “@ITV @bbuk care to explain why @iamwillbest can make a joke like he made about David at the start of the show, yet Mickey can’t?! Double standards. Best remove Will immediately #CBBUK.”
“The irony of @ITV kicking out Mickey over sexual comments made (among other things) to housemates and then immediately cutting to ITV2 where Will Best has made two sexual comments in the first minute,” a fourth pointed out.
And a fifth was similarly dismayed: “Surely what Will Best said to David there is just as bad as what Mickey said to Jojo and Ella? #CBBUK.”
However, Best did receive support from some viewers who felt his comments couldn’t be compared to Rourke’s.
“Why are people acting like will best saying the joke about seamen is the same as mickey threatening 20 year old women,” one fan argued. “Will’s just calling david gay, mickey was preying on young women #CBBLL.” (sic)
While Potts was visibly surprised by the crass nature of Best’s opening remark, he didn’t let it get in the way of joining in with the rest of the show.
Rourke’s exit has sparked quite the debate among CBB fans, with some feeling that conflict is part of the so-called “social experiment” while others felt he should’ve been booted after his first altercation with Siwa.
After being read the riot act by Big Brother, Rourke admitted: “Yes sir. I did wrong. I apologise. I’m sorry. I can’t take it back, you know, I stepped over the line. And I take responsibility for doing the wrong thing.
So it’s only acceptable for certain people to make crude comments. Ahh, I see now…
Will Best ✅
Mickey Rourke ❌#cbb #cbbuk #cbbll #bbuk pic.twitter.com/275dxKzsOR
— Oor Roy (@OorRoy) April 13, 2025
“I lost my temper, and I’ve been trying to work on it my whole life and I wish I would have had better self-control, and I’m very sorry. I’m ashamed of myself for losing it for a few seconds there.
“Nobody got touched or hurt. Maybe some feelings got hurt, or maybe others have feelings about others getting upset, but, you know, I’m sorry about that.”
Despite the apology, Big Brother told him: “Big Brother considers your language and behaviour today to be seriously unacceptable and as a result Big Brother has no option but to ask you to leave the Big Brother house. Mickey, is there anything else you’d like to say?”
“I blame myself,” Rourke conceded. “I know it was my bad. You know, I’ve got a short fuse, and I know I upset a lot of people out there, you know. And I’m sorry for that.
“I’m actually ashamed of myself for getting that hot. I went over the line, you know, I did wrong. I guess, like they say, I’m a work in progress.
“I just wanna pack my bags and leave, you know. I wanted to leave yesterday actually, but I wasn’t chosen.”