JoJo Siwa’s time in the Celebrity Big Brother UK house has made headlines and sparked controversy among viewers.
The former Dance Moms alum, 21, entered the reality TV show house in early 2025, where she quickly found herself defending her sexuality. (Siwa publicly came out as queer in 2021 and is currently dating nonbinary TV presenter Kath Ebbs.)
In one episode, Mickey Rourke claimed that Siwa “won’t be gay anymore” if she lasts more than four days on the show — a comment that many viewers and contestants denounced as homophobic.
“I can guarantee I’ll still be gay,” Siwa replied. “And I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.”
In another episode, Rourke, 72, used a homophobic slur while speaking to Love Island UK alum Chris Hughes, who told the actor that he “can’t use that word.” Rourke denied using the word in reference to Siwa.
“Mickey speaks from his heart and means well,” Rourke’s rep Kimberly Hines told Us Weekly in a statement. “He is old school, direct and honest. I have worked closely with him for nine years and he is 100 percent authentically himself. There will never be another Mickey Rourke. Period.”
Rourke was ultimately kicked out of the house earlier in April, with a CBB spokesperson telling Us that he exhibited “inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behavior.” Rourke has now threatened legal action against the competition series, denying any instances of misconduct.
Siwa, meanwhile, has remained on the show and grown especially close to Hughes, 32. (Hughes notably appeared on season 3 of Love Island UK, where the former farmer left in a relationship with now-ex Olivia Attwood and an enduring friendship with winner Kem Cetinay.)
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Mickey Rourke said he is “ashamed” of his controversial behavior on Celebrity Big Brother UK. The Oscar-nominated actor, 72, was asked to leave the Big Brother house on Saturday, April 12, following a tense verbal confrontation with fellow housemate Chris Hughes. In scenes that aired on ITV in the U.K. on Sunday, April 13, Big […]
Throughout several episodes of CBB, fans noticed Siwa and Hughes frequently cuddled up in bed, gave each other makeovers and wrote secret messages to one another. At the same time, Siwa has spoken out about her gender identity and being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Essentially, you have female and you have male. I’ve met a lot of females, love them, [but] don’t feel like I’m them,” Siwa told Hughes in a confessional earlier this month. “Met a lot of males, love them [but] definitely not one. Met a lot of people in my life who are non-binary, and these beautiful non-binary people are who I feel the most like. It’s not something that I want to say about myself yet, but it’s something that is confusing.”
In another episode, Siwa noted that she no longer sees herself as a lesbian.
“I’ve always told myself I’m a lesbian, but I think you — I think being here, I’ve realized, ‘Oh no, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer,’” Siwa told housemate Danny Beard, who previously appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. “I think that’s really cool. I’m switching letters.”
Ebbs, meanwhile, has not addressed Siwa’s revelations, though they did publicly share their support for their partner after the dancer’s drama with Rourke.
“It is beyond disgusting and it’s literally taken me many hours to even process what the f*** I just watched,” Ebbs, 27, wrote via their Instagram Stories on April 9. “Not only because that is the literal love of my life and I want to protect her at all costs and I feel so helpless that I cannot be there to not only comfort her but to also lose it at that f***ing weasel of a man but secondly take the fact out that I have massive emotional stakes in the comments towards her.”
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