Celebrity Big Brother star, Mickey Rourke, is reportedly set to sue ITV after he was booted off the reality show at the weekend. The former boxer, 72, was given his marching orders by bosses following his inappropriate behaviour and language in the house, which left his housemates – and viewers uncomfortable.
Since his bombshell exit, which left the showbiz world stunned, Mickey has now hot-footed it back to L.A, from where he said to set to sue ITV, who, according to reports, may only pay the actor £50,000 of his rumoured £500,000 fee due to his contract being pro-rata – despite the star saying he was going on the show for the money.
Lifting the lid on the drama, a source also claimed Mickey was promised five star accommodation while he was in the UK, but was informed by producers that they would cover just £300 a night.
Speaking to TMZ, Mickey’s representative Kimberly Hines said the former boxer’s team is currently speaking with lawyers in the UK and are thinking about a lawsuit against ITV, which produces the show.
She also said Mickey was promised ‘five star’ accommodation – but on the flight over to the UK was informed producers would cover just £300 a night.
This was after the Wrestler star had already reportedly booked a swanky hotel for himself and his team, leaving the self-confessed ‘broke’ actor to foot the bill of £50,000.
Mickey has also allegedly claimed that if he had stayed in the star-studded house for an extra day, he would have been contractually eligible for a much fatter pay packet.
Kimberly is quoted as saying that producers were aware Mickey was a “verbal loose cannon” and used him for the on-screen drama before “sending him out with barely a ride to the airport”.
Mickey’s Celebrity Big Brother journey was fraught with inappropriate behaviour from the get-go. His touchy-feely interview with host, AJ Odudu, when he entered the house appalled viewers – but there was much more to come.
Uncomfortable scenes then showed him using homophobic slurs and antagonising singer JoJo Siwa, who is lesbian, over her sexuality. He was later reprimanded for using a gay slur and for making offensive comments about JoJo’s sexual preferences.
He later left comedian Donna Preston upset when he appeared to make a comment about her weight. And later still, he reduced EastEnders icon Patsy Palmer to tears when he criticised her cooking skills. Then he made a sexual slur against Ella before squaring up to Chris and calling him a c**t before being hauled into the Diary Room.
Apologising for his actions when he was given his marching orders from the house, Mickey admitted he’d been trying to control his temper his whole life, conceding: “I blame myself, 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.”
The Mirror has contacted ITV and Mickey’s rep for comment on this story.
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