BBC, BAFTAs apologize to Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo after Tourette’s syndrome activist shouted racial slur during BAFTAs

Audible gasps filled the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday when a Tourette’s syndrome (TS) activist involuntarily shouted a racial slur at presenters Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the BAFTA Film Awards.

Host Alan Cumming asked the audience for “understanding” regarding the offensive language from John Davidson, the subject of I Swear, a BAFTA-nominated film inspired by his life with TS and involuntary vocal outbursts.

The BBC, which broadcast Britain’s equivalent of the Oscars, is under fire for failing to edit the slur from the telecast — and has since issued an apology. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has apologized to Jordan and Lindo, while Davidson issued a statement saying his “tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs.”

Jamie Foxx is among those who have called the handling of the incident “unacceptable.”

What happened?

The audience was warned before the ceremony that tics or involuntary vocalizations from Davidson could occur, according to CNN. When the Sinners costars came onstage to present the first award for best visual effects, Davidson shouted the N-word. The pair appeared startled but continued as gasps rippled through the crowd.

Addressing the moment, Cumming told the audience, “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience. Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

Later in the ceremony, Cumming made another statement, saying, “Tourette’s syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight.”

Despite a tape delay that would have allowed producers to mute the audio before broadcast, the slur was not removed from the telecast.

Davidson was also heard using profanity at other points during the ceremony, including during remarks made by BAFTA chair Sara Putt and when the directors of Arco, winner for best children’s and family film, accepted their award. Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler said on social media that she had also had a racial slur directed at her at the BAFTAs on Sunday and criticized what she described as a “throwaway” apology.

The incident unfolded during what was otherwise a milestone evening for Sinners. The film made BAFTA history, becoming the most decorated movie by a Black director, Ryan Coogler. Jordan was nominated for leading actor.

Speaking to Vanity Fair at the Warner Bros. afterparty, Lindo said he and Jordan “did what we had to do” while presenting, but added that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.”

Who is John Davidson?

Scottish-born Davidson issued a statement on Monday as the backlash grew.

“I wanted to thank BAFTA and everyone involved in the awards last night for their support and understanding and inviting me to attend the broadcast,” Davidson said. “I appreciated the announcement to the auditorium in advance of the recording, warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs. I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me.”

He said he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning … I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness and understanding from others and I will continue to do so.”

Davidson has spent decades raising awareness about TS, a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive movements and involuntary vocal tics, which can include repeated blinking or the uttering of unexpected or offensive words.

At age 16, he was the subject of the BBC TV documentary John’s Not Mad (1989), which followed his experience with the condition. The film drew widespread attention and led to subsequent BBC follow-ups over the years. Davidson later became an advocate and ambassador for awareness of Tourette’s syndrome and was named a member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, by the British monarch for his efforts.

I Swear, a biopic of his life directed by Kirk Jones, stars Robert Aramayo as Davidson. It was nominated for Outstanding British Film, and Aramayo won the BAFTA for leading actor.

On the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, Davidson acknowledged concerns about his tics in a high-pressure environment. He told CNN, “Certain things — like today, lots of people around, I’m feeling very, you know, more tics in case I lash out. Different situations can trigger different emotions and tics and stuff.”

Davidson said in his statement that he left the auditorium “early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.” He watched the show in a separate room but returned later to see Aramayo accept his award.

The backlash

The ceremony aired on a two-hour delay on BBC One in the U.K. and on E! in the U.S., and yet the slur remained in the broadcast. Deadline noted that other remarks were censored, including the BBC cutting Akinola Davies Jr.’s “free Palestine” comment at the end of his speech.

The BBC initially issued a statement to the Associated Press on Monday, saying, “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional.”

The statement added, “We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”

BAFTA released a statement later apologizing to Jordan and Lindo, who showed “incredible dignity and professionalism” during the incident, as well as those in the audience and viewing from home.

“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all,” the statement said. “We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”

Criticism over the handling of the incident has continued. Jamie Foxx described the use of the slur as “unacceptable” in a since-deleted comment on an Instagram post about the moment. Wendell Pierce called it “infuriating” that Jordan and Lindo did not receive full apologies.

Ed Palmer, vice chairman of the Tourettes Action nonprofit, also criticized how this was handled. He said on Times Radio that bleeping the slur would have been a “sensible way of managing the situation.”