Switzerland – During the 79th British Academy Film Awards at London’s Royal Festival Hall, an incident occurred when John Davidson, a Scottish campaigner with Tourette syndrome, involuntarily shouted a racial slur.
The outburst happened as Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the Best Special Visual Effects award.
Host Alan Cumming addressed the moment live, explaining that Davidson’s vocal outburst was due to involuntary tics associated with his neurological condition and not intentional, and apologized to viewers for the “strong and offensive language.”
The BBC’s broadcast team later said they did not hear the slur in real time and failed to edit it out before airing the show.
The unedited footage remained on BBC iPlayer for several hours before being taken down and promised to be corrected in future versions.
BAFTA released its own apology to Jordan and Lindo, acknowledging the pain caused by the incident and expressing gratitude to the actors for their professionalism, while the BBC said it regretted not removing the language from the televised coverage.
Davidson, whose life story inspired the BAFTA winning film “I Swear,” later issued a statement saying he was “deeply mortified” and emphasizing that his vocal tics are involuntary and not reflective of his views.
Advocacy groups such as “Tourettes Action” have urged the public to understand the neurological nature of Tourette syndrome and not conflate involuntary tics with intentional harm.
The controversy has drawn broader reaction from the film community and public figures, with some condemning the mere occurrence of the slur on air and others criticizing how institutions balance accessibility, inclusion and broadcast standards.
The incident also drew criticism from members of Jordan and Lindo’s film “Sinners,” which won three awards on the night, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku.
Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler was among those voicing criticism, describing the Academy’s response as a “throwaway” apology and saying that multiple offensive outbursts during the ceremony, including one directed at her, were handled too lightly.
Calls for clearer safeguards around live and delayed award coverage have mounted as audiences and creators alike debate the responsibilities of major cultural events in managing unexpected incidents.
