LIZZIE Cundy has defended Mickey Rourke as a “harmless flirt”; after a resurfaced video showed him making eyebrow-raising comments about her cleavage on TV.
actor , 72, left viewers stunned during his debut earlier this week, with many branding his behaviour towards , 37, “creepy”.
His conduct sparked a .
Now, a 2010 clip from OK! TV – exclusively obtained by – shows Mickey making a series of audacious remarks while being interviewed by , now 56, star , 54, and hotelier Cheryl Howard.
In the footage, Lizzie says to Mickey: “I’ve got to ask you, Mickey, in your acting career, I need to know, is it true about the casting couch? And have you ever had that?”;
Mickey replies with: “Can you stand up for a second? Let us take a look at you.
“Just squeeze those things together once. Look at that,” he adds as the camera pans in on her chest.
Mickey remarks: “Look at those pecs,”; as Lucy jokes: “I’m pumping them up behind her,” and Lizzie joins in with: “Buy one get one free!”
Mickey agreed: “Yeah, you three could have a show of your own.”;
Lizzie then tries to steer the conversation back, asking again: “Do you ever find that in the acting world, the casting couch?”;
Mickey answers: “No, I’ve never been a part of it, really. No, I mean, it does exist, you know. I know it exists, but it’s...
“The thing is, it’s like anything. If you work really hard and you do it the right way and you do the hard work, then you’re gonna have longevity.
“If you’re b**wing some producer for two lines in a movie, then your career’s gonna end rather quickly. You know, unless you b**w every producer in town.”;
Despite the suggestive nature of his comments, Lizzie insists she wasn’t offended – and says critics are making a fuss over nothing.
She told Flying Eze: “Mickey's a good friend and he's the biggest flirt of all.”
The socialite, who was formerly married to player , remembered: “He told me that all footballers were pussycats because he's had more girls in one night than any of them have had.
“He loves women, he loves sex, he's all about flirting, but it's all in good fun and I hope that the woke brigade and people in the house don't take it the wrong way.
“We even saw that at the beginning when he entered in, flirting with AJ saying, ‘I'd rather stay with you.'
“But that's Mickey, he's old school Hollywood, he's flirty and I hope all those snowflakes aren't going to get offended as he's just doing it tongue-in-cheek and he's a cheeky chappy.”
During Monday's live launch, however, ITV viewers and called for him to be evicted first.
The nominee – who had just been introduced to the audience – twirled AJ around on-stage before pulling her towards him, resulting in the pair bumping into one another.
When fellow host asked if he could win, Mickey paused for a while and said: “I haven't thought about it.”
The -born star then turned to AJ and began to look her up and down, before saying: “Nice outfit.”
She replied: “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
However, when Mickey continued to ogle AJ, she raised her voice slightly and said: “Stop looking at me.”
Moments later, AJ and Will had to physically escort him into the house as his slow pace threatened to delay the live show.
