Celebrity Big Brother viewers have been left squirming after Patsy Palmer refused to answer a question about Mickey Rourke after being booted from the Big Brother house.
The EastEnders actor, best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the soap, became the third in a trio of housemates to be evicted from the house on Triple Tuesday (22 April), following Angellica Bell and Ella Rae Wise, who had been booted earlier in the show.
Palmer celebrated when she heard she was being evicted – but went silent during her exit interview with hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best.
After recapping her highlights, Best told Palmer: “There were a few tricky moments you had to deal with in there.”
"People complaining about your broccoli, that was one,” he said, referring to Mickey Rourke’s constant criticism of her cooking skills while he was in the house.
Palmer went straight-faced and sat in total silence as the hosts waited for her answer.
Best asked: “You don't want to talk about the broccoli, do you? Absolutely fair enough.”
There was silence before Odudu jumped in, saying: “Did it really upset you when Mickey complained to your face about the food?”
Palmer bluntly replied: “Erm, not really that.”
Rourke made Palmer cry when he said she “can’t cook”, after she made several meals for the Big Brother housemates.
“What do you know? You can’t cook,” Rourke told Palmer, who responded: “I can’t cook?”
“Not even a little bit,” replied Rourke, to which Palmer, laughing the comment off, told her fellow housemates: “I hope that might have been a sarcastic joke.”
However, later on, Palmer broke down in tears in the Diary Room and expressed frustration that she hadn’t stuck up for herself.
“I tried to talk that one out but it didn’t really work,” she told Big Brother. “I feel like I let myself down there and I don’t want my reactions to be like that. I always want my kids to always stand up for themselves.
“Maybe it was just a joke – maybe I need to look at it like that. I need to try to rise above it. It doesn’t mean I have to like him.”
Big Brother viewers have said they were left stunned by Palmer refusing to comment on the situation after she was booted out of the house.
“The [look] of fear from AJ and Will as Patsy Palmer stared into their souls after they brought up broccoli gate,” wrote one viewer on X/Twitter.
“Can't stop thinking about Patsy Palmer looking like she's about to tear all eight limbs off AJ and Will barehanded because they brought up her broccoli cooking skills,” joked one viewer, as another added: “We’ll all remember where we were when Patsy Palmer was asked about her broccoli.”
“Scream! Patsy said no comment,” said someone else.
Rourke, an Oscar-nominated actor best known for his role in the 2008 film The Wrestler, saw his six-day run in the house came to an abrupt end on 13 April after displaying “threatening and aggressive” behaviour towards Love Island star Chris Hughes and using “inappropriate sexual language” towards Towie star Ella Mae Wise.
Controversy surrounding the actor began as soon as he arrived on the show, after he “ogled” CBB presenter AJ Odudu and made homophobic comments to Dance Moms star Jojo Siwa.
Rourke was issued with a formal warning by ITV producers after using a slur aimed at Siwa. The interaction started when the actor told the dancer: “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore.” He then said that he would “tie” her up.
Siwa pushed back at the comment, saying: “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay, and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.” Rourke apologised to Siwa hours later.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the programme told The Independent: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectation for appropriate behaviour and language.
“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and instances of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with appropriately and timely.”
Rourke’s representatives declined to comment.
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