A member of Mickey Rourke's own management team set up GoFundMe campaign for him "as a nice gesture" as he faced eviction from his home.

The Wrestler star hit headlines when it was revealed a crowdfunding drive had been set up to raise money to cover his bills and he later slammed the campaign as "humiliating and embarrassing" and urged his fans not to donate to it - however, Rourke's longtime manager Kimberly Hines has now revealed the actor's own team were behind the money-raising move.

Hines told Deadline.com: "We're trying to do the best that we can. My assistant started it to help Mickey as a nice gesture because he was being forced out of his home.

"It was not done with any mal intent. The money has not gone anywhere. If Mickey decides he does not want it, the money will be returned to his fans."

The frundraiser was set up by Hines' personal assistant Liya-Joelle Jones, who wrote on the page: "This fundraiser is being created with Mickey's full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses and prevent that from happening."

The 73-year-old actor is said to owe $59,100 (£43,875) in rent on his Los Angeles home and Hines told Deadline the crowdfunder was set up after Rourke was served with an eviction notice and left with nowhere to go.

Rourke has since been moved to a hotel and the publication reports his management team and a producer pal have been footing the bill for his stay.

Hines added: "I would love nothing more than Mickey Rourke to go back to work and do what he does best."

After news of the GoFundMe campaign broke, Rourke took to Instagram to share a video in which he condemned the money-raising scheme - and even claimed his former landlords might have been behind it.

He said: "Something's come up that I'm really frustrated, confused [about] and I don't understand. Somebody set up some kind of foundation or fund for me to donate money like charity and that's not me. Okay.

"I'd rather, if I needed money, I wouldn't ask for no f****** charity. I'd rather stick a gun up my a** and pull the trigger.

"So whoever did this, I don't know ... why they did it. I don't understand it. I wouldn't know what a GoFundMe foundation is in a million years. My life is very simple, I don't go to outside sources like that and yeah it is embarrassing but I'm sure I'll get over it like everything else."

Rourke also claimed he stopped paying rent on his home amid a disagreement with his landlords over repairs which hadn't been carried out and he insisted the case will be fought out in court.