BAFTA Apologizes After Racial Slur From Tourette’s Advocate
John Davidson said he was “deeply mortified” after involuntary Tourette tics included a racial slur at the BAFTA Film Awards on Feb. 22; BAFTA apologized and the broadcast will be edited.
Overview
John Davidson said in a statement that he was “deeply mortified” if his involuntary tics were seen as intentional and that he left the auditorium early.
The N-word was shouted during the BAFTA Film Awards on Feb. 22 while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting Best Visual Effects, and the moment was audible on the two-hour delayed broadcast.
BAFTA apologized and said it takes full responsibility, noting Davidson has Tourette’s and that such tics are involuntary, and it apologised unreservedly to Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
The slur remained on the ceremony’s streaming service until Monday morning, prompting public backlash from actors and creatives and criticism of the decision not to edit the moment out before broadcast.
Organizers and disability advocates said they will learn from the incident, Emma McNally urged understanding that tics are neurological, and the broadcast is set to be edited on the streaming service.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the BAFTAs incident as an institutional failing that amplified harm to the Black presenters, using charged labels ("racial slur", "outrage"), prioritizing victims' reactions and watchdog criticism (social-media responses, Variety), while still providing medical context on Tourette's and Coprolalia — producing accountability-focused coverage rather than purely clinical explanation.
Sources (22)
FAQ
Tourette's syndrome is a neurological condition that causes involuntary tics, which can include expletives and other vocalizations that the person cannot control[2]. During the BAFTA Film Awards, John Davidson's involuntary tics included expletives and a racial slur, which are recognized as symptoms of the condition rather than intentional speech.
BAFTA had a two-hour delay between the live event and the BBC broadcast, during which they edited out a statement by Akinola Davies Jr. saying "free Palestine," but did not remove John Davidson's involuntary tic outbursts before airing[1]. This inconsistency prompted criticism and questions about the editorial decision-making process during the broadcast.
John Davidson is a Tourette's syndrome advocate who is the subject of the BAFTA-nominated biopic "I Swear," which explores his life and journey with the condition[1][2]. He was present at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards ceremony but reportedly left the event early after the involuntary tic outbursts occurred[2].
Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the Best Visual Effects award when one of Davidson's involuntary tic outbursts occurred, directing a racial slur at them[2]. While the search results indicate BAFTA apologized "unreservedly" to both actors, no specific public statements from Jordan or Lindo themselves are detailed in the available reports.
BAFTA apologized and took full responsibility for the incident, noting that Davidson has Tourette's and that such tics are involuntary[1]. The broadcast was set to be edited on the streaming service, as the slur remained accessible until Monday morning, prompting public backlash[1]. Additionally, organizers and disability advocates stated they would learn from the incident to prevent similar situations in the future[1].
History
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