Mickey Rourke’s tumultuous journey through reality television has taken center stage once again, with fans revisiting his shocking early exit from The Masked Singer in 2020 following his recent removal from Celebrity Big Brother on April 12, 2025. The Hollywood icon, known for his Oscar-nominated role in The Wrestler, made headlines five years ago when he ripped off his Gremlin costume mid-episode, breaking the show’s cardinal rule and leaving producers scrambling. As his Big Brother controversies—ranging from homophobic remarks to aggressive behavior—dominate UK headlines, social media is abuzz with clips of his Masked Singer chaos, drawing parallels to his latest reality TV debacle. This article explores Rourke’s Masked Singer exit, its renewed relevance, and the fan reactions tying it to his Big Brother fallout, drawing from reports by The Mirror, Daily Mail, and posts on X.
It wasn’t just Celebrity Big Brother than Mickey exited early! (Image: Fox)
The Masked Singer Meltdown
In September 2020, during season four of The Masked Singer on Fox, Mickey Rourke, then 68, appeared as the Gremlin, a shaggy purple creature. His performance of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” dedicated to his late friend Willy DeVille, was off-tempo and eccentric, with panelist Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg joking, “Is he like 100 years old?” Barely three minutes after finishing, as judges Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, Robin Thicke, and McCarthy debated his identity, Rourke stunned everyone by yanking off his mask. “Damn it, it’s hot, I’m taking it off,” he declared, ignoring host Nick Cannon’s pleas: “Gremlin, you can’t do that! It’s not that part of the show yet!” Cannon later shouted, “We’ve lost control! It’s the Gremlin’s show!” as Rourke tossed the mask into the audience, grinning with a lipstick mark on his cheek.
This self-elimination was a first in Masked Singer history, bypassing the voting round and leaving other contestants—Crocodile, Seahorse, Serpent, Whatchamacallit, and Baby Alien—to advance automatically. Rourke’s reasoning was casual: “I was in the neighborhood. I like the show, watched four episodes, and they asked if I’d be interested.” Backstage, he told producers he chose the Gremlin for its “friendly, cuddly” vibe, avoiding “whips and chains,” per GoldDerby. Costume designer Marina Toybina later revealed to Metro UK that Rourke struggled with the mask’s fit, requiring last-minute adjustments, and noted the mask went missing after he threw it. Fans were divided—some called it “perfect television,” per an X post from 2020, while others on Reddit labeled it “disrespectful,” suspecting he was “inebriated” or staging a tantrum.
Why It’s Resurfacing Now
Rourke’s Masked Singer moment has roared back into focus due to his Celebrity Big Brother exit, announced by ITV on April 12, 2025, after six days in the house. The 72-year-old was removed for “threatening and aggressive” behavior toward Chris Hughes during a pirate-themed task, following earlier infractions like homophobic comments to JoJo Siwa and inappropriate remarks to Ella Rae Wise. In the Diary Room, Rourke apologized, saying, “I lost my temper. … I’m ashamed of myself,” but admitted he’d wanted to leave earlier, echoing his Masked Singer impatience. The Mirror reported on April 14, 2025, that fans connected the dots, noting Rourke’s history of bailing on reality shows when the pressure mounts. An X post read, “Mickey quitting Masked Singer after one song because he was ‘too warm’ is so on-brand for his CBB meltdown.”
The parallels are striking. In both cases, Rourke flouted rules—unmasking prematurely on Masked Singer and ignoring warnings on Big Brother. His Big Brother comments, like telling Siwa, “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore,” and using a slur, mirror the impulsive, boundary-pushing persona seen when he ditched the Gremlin costume. Fans on X speculate he seeks quick exits, with one writing, “Mickey’s allergic to sticking it out—Masked Singer, Big Brother, same vibe.” His Big Brother fee, initially £500,000, was cut to £50,000, per The Sun, much like the wasted potential of his Masked Singer appearance, where he refused press afterward, per The Independent.
Fan Reactions and Speculation
Social media is alight with reactions to Rourke’s resurfaced Masked Singer clip. Some fans revel in the chaos, with an X user calling it “the most Mickey Rourke thing ever—singing badly, then yeeting the mask.” Others see it as a red flag ITV ignored. “Why cast someone who quit Masked Singer for being ‘hot’? Of course he’d implode on CBB,” one tweeted. The Daily Mail noted viewers questioning if Rourke planned his Big Brother exit, citing his Diary Room confession: “I did my hardest to get out of here.” This aligns with his Masked Singer behavior, where he seemed “over it anyway,” per a 2020 Daily Mail report.
Critics argue Rourke’s casting was a ratings ploy gone wrong. A 2024 Ofcom report cited rising complaints about reality TV conduct, and Rourke’s Big Brother stint, generating Ofcom scrutiny per The Mirror, fits the pattern. Fans on X debate whether he’s a “troubled genius” or “just a jerk,” with one writing, “Mickey’s trauma doesn’t excuse homophobia or bullying Ella.” Supporters, like former housemate Michael Fabricant, claim he’s misunderstood, but most agree his Masked Singer exit foreshadowed his inability to handle Big Brother’s confines.
Context of Rourke’s Reality TV Struggles
Rourke’s reality TV misadventures reflect his broader career volatility. A 1980s heartthrob in films like 9½ Weeks, he fell into obscurity after box-office flops and personal struggles, including arrests and therapy, per his Wikipedia page. His 2008 comeback with The Wrestler earned an Oscar nod, but roles in Iron Man 2 and The Expendables didn’t sustain the momentum. By 2020, he admitted to The Sun that his career was “in the toilet,” making Masked Singer a high-profile gamble. His discomfort in the Gremlin suit—described as “foreign” by Toybina—mirrors his Big Brother complaints about the house’s intensity, telling housemates he hadn’t slept properly.
Both shows highlight Rourke’s unease with structure. On Masked Singer, he ignored the format’s suspense, unmasking before judges could guess. On Big Brother, he clashed with rules, from nomination bans to behavioral warnings. A Variety piece on his Big Brother exit quoted him saying, “I’ve got a short fuse,” a trait evident when he threw the Gremlin mask. His past, including an abusive stepfather and boxing injuries, per The Guardian, may fuel this impulsivity, but fans argue it doesn’t justify harming others, like Siwa or Wise.
Broader Implications
The resurfacing of Rourke’s Masked Singer exit underscores reality TV’s double-edged sword: casting volatile stars boosts ratings but risks backlash. Big Brother’s viewership spiked to 1.74 million for Rourke’s exit, per Radio Times, much like Masked Singer’s buzz when he unmasked. Yet, both shows faced criticism—Masked Singer for losing control, Big Brother for enabling Rourke too long. A 2023 Variety analysis noted 60% of viewers suspect manipulated narratives, and Rourke’s exits feed this, with fans on X suggesting ITV kept him for “car-crash TV” before cutting him loose.
For Rourke, the pattern is costly. His Big Brother fee loss echoes Masked Singer, where he squandered exposure by refusing press. His post-exit behavior—making a crude gesture in London, per Daily Mail—suggests defiance, not growth. Meanwhile, Big Brother marches on, with JoJo Siwa and Trisha Goddard leading narratives, but Rourke’s shadow looms. Fans wonder if he’ll try reality TV again or retreat to indie films, as he hinted in a 2024 Sun interview.
Conclusion
Mickey Rourke’s Masked Singer exit, now viral again, is a lens into his Big Brother unraveling. From tossing a Gremlin mask to crossing lines with housemates, he’s a study in self-sabotage, thrilling yet troubling viewers. As Celebrity Big Brother airs weeknights at 9 PM, the focus shifts, but Rourke’s legacy—chaotic, unfiltered, and divisive—endures, sparking debates about fame, accountability, and the reality TV machine.
