The BBC has determined that the broadcast of a racial slur during its coverage of this year’s Baftas went against its editorial standards.
During this year’s Baftas ceremony, Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson – attending the ceremony with the cast and crew of the movie I Swear – experienced a series of involuntary tics, resulting in him shouting a variety of slurs from the audience.
One of these, which saw him shouting the N-word while Sinners actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage – was included in the BBC’s broadcast of the Baftas, which aired on a two-hour time delay.
Following the event, the BBC faced a wave of scrutiny – and a “large number of complaints” – due to the slur’s inclusion, with outgoing director-general Tim Davie “fast-tracking” an investigation into how it came to be broadcast.
On Wednesday, chief content officer Kate Phillips confirmed that the BBC’s executive complaints unit (ECU) had “found this should not have made it to air and it was a clear breach of our editorial standards”.
A post on the ECU’s website explained: “The inclusion of the n-word in the broadcast (which was also streamed live on iPlayer) was highly offensive, had no editorial justification and represented a breach of the BBC’s editorial standards, but that the breach was unintentional.
“The members of the production team who were monitoring the event in the outside broadcast vehicle all say they did not hear or recognise the n-word when it occurred at about 14 minutes and 45 seconds into the broadcast (while Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were introducing the first award). The ECU accepted their account, for two reasons.
“Firstly, the use of the n-word in that instance was extremely indistinct, to the point where it might well not have been recognised by the production team. Secondly, there was another occurrence of the n-word about 10 minutes later, which was recognised by the production team and immediately edited out in accordance with the protocols on offensive language which were in place.”
John Davidson – whose life story inspired the Bafta-winning film I Swear – pictured ahead of the 2026 ceremony
Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
The post continued: “There is no reason to conclude they would have applied the protocols in one case while deliberately ignoring them in the other. The ECU noted, however, that the BBC received one complaint from a viewer about the use of the n-word in the segment of the programme concerned while the programme was still on air and another very shortly after it ended.
“While this tends to support the view that the word was almost unintelligible (because we would expect a use of the word which had been clear to viewers in general to have caused a large number of complaints during the broadcast and immediately afterwards), it also means that we cannot say it was entirely so.”
As for the inclusion of the slur on the Baftas broadcast later uploaded to the BBC iPlayer catch-up service, the ECU said this was also “a breach of the BBC’s editorial standards”.
“The production team became aware shortly after the transmission of the first award that the interjection while Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were on stage consisted of the n-word,” they said, saying that the delay in taking it down was a “serious mistake”, pointing out that by this point it had become “widely discussed” on both online and in news media.
In their findings, the ECU said: “The fact that the unedited recording remained available for so long aggravated the offence caused by the inadvertent inclusion of the n-word in the broadcast.”
A day after the Baftas, Kate Phillips sent an internal memo to BBC employees which read: “The edit team removed another racial slur from the broadcast. This one was aired in error and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast. We take full responsibility for what happened.”
After Delroy Lindo expressed his disappointment at the way Bafta had handled the incident, a spokesperson for the organisation later issued a lengthy apology which also took “full responsibility” for what transpired.
It became the film everyone was talking about following the 2026 Baftas, and now you’re able to stream in on Netflix.
I Swear took home three awards at the 79th film ceremony last month, including best casting and both the EE rising star and leading actor gongs for Robert Aramayo.
The 33-year-old plays John Davidson in the emotional biopic, which tells the story of his youth in 1980s Scotland, where severe Tourette’s syndrome was widely misunderstood.
Davidson, now 54, was diagnosed with the neurological condition at 25, having developed it at 12, and with his symptoms involving sudden and repetitive movements and vocalisations.
Having since become an activist to raise awareness of Tourette’s, John has already featured in several BBC documentaries throughout his life, including John’s Not Mad (1989), when he was just 16, which followed him around his hometown as he navigated the condition.
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Then, in 2024, director Kirk Jones announced production of I Swear, and Aramayo was cast in August, with the filmmaker stating that he ‘knew he was right for the part very early on’, meaning he didn’t need to audition.
I Swear is now streaming on Netflix (Picture: Graeme Hunter/ Courtesy of StudioCanal)
The biographical drama is based on John Davidson’s life living with Tourette’s syndrome (Picture: Dominic Lipinski/ Getty Images)
The biographical drama was released in cinemas last autumn.
Throughout, Davidson is bullied, beaten up, and at one point arrested as a result of other people not understanding his outbursts.
Alongside Aramayo, cast members include Maxine Peake, who plays Dottie Achenbach, Shirley Henderson as Heather Davidson, and Peter Mullan as Tommy Trotter.
I Swear has been widely praised by critics and audiences in recent months, and Netflix confirmed today that it will arrive on the platform on March 10.
It already boasts a glowing 100% score from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes, while its audience score sits at a so-close-to-perfect 99%.
Among the feedback, Ben Allen of GQ Magazine says Aramayo depicts Davidson’s experiences ‘beautifully’, while Kevin Maher of The Times says his performance is both ‘heart-rending’ and ‘astonishing’.
‘I Swear is a hugely important and informative watch – and potentially one of this year’s best British films,’ praises Nicola Austin of Movie Maker.
‘This really is a film where you’ll be laughing one minute and feel tears building the nexts,’ adds RTE’s Harry Guerin.
Robert Aramayo won two Baftas, including leading actor, for the film (Picture: Alamy Live News)
He stars alongside Maxine Peake in the Kirk Jones-directed biopic (Picture: One Story High/ Tempo Productions, I Swear/ Graeme Hunter)
Audiences further describe it as an ‘exceptional’ watch, with @FilmWatcher1 left ‘crying [their] eyes out’.
‘Its been a very long time that I wept so profusely over a movie. It is such a beautiful rendering of such a difficult life,’ pens @Naijadaydreamer.
@Allopac says I Swear taught them ‘so much’ that they didn’t know about Tourette’s, and @Raffie believes ‘it should be a mandatory watch in all schools all over the world.’
Tourette syndrome is a condition that causes you to make sudden, repetitive sounds or movements (tics). There is no cure, but treatment can help manage the tics.
The main symptom of Tourette syndrome is tics. Tics can involve repetitive sounds (vocal tics) or movements (motor tics) you do not choose to make and cannot control.
Tics involving sounds may include:
whistling
sniffing or clearing your throat a lot
making animal sounds
repeating a sound, word or phrase
swearing (this is rare)
Tics involving movement may include:
rolling your eyes or blinking
shrugging your shoulders
jerking or twitching movements
tensing your stomach muscles
jumping
Speaking at this year’s Baftas about working on the film, Nanny McPhee director Jones said he believes I Swear has been so warmly received because it ‘hit a chord’.
‘Maybe five years ago, if we’d have made it, it wouldn’t have done, or maybe five years’ time, but I think we’re kind of at a place in the world now where everything’s so kind of depressing and upsetting, and it’s a very hopeful film, and it’s about a man who never gives up,’ he said on the red carpet.
‘It’s the kind of film that we need at the moment to remind us about compassion and support for an understanding of other people.’
Davidson grew up in Scotland in the 1980s, facing misunderstanding surrounding his condition (Picture: One Story High/ Tempo Productions, I Swear/ Graeme Hunter)
Having been declared ‘phenomenal’ in his portrayal by the man himself, Aramayo further expressed his gratitude towards Davidson after taking him two major trophies, hailing him as ‘the most remarkable person [he’s] ever met’.
Davidson, who was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2019 for his campaigning work, also told the Press Association that ‘the power that the film’s got is the fact that it’s opened people’s eyes to the real issues.’
But its Bafta wins did not come without controversy, as, during the ceremony, Davidson could be heard shouting and swearing due to his tics. This included yelling ‘f**k you’ and using a racial slur when Sinners stars were onstage.
Baftas host Alan Cumming thanked the audience for showing ‘respect’ at the time and apologised for the expletives, reminding people that they were out of Davidson’s ‘control.’
The crowd was also made aware of Davidson’s attendance beforehand, but the nature of what they might hear was not explained.
The campaigner has called Aramayo, 33, ‘phenomenal’ for how he told his story (Picture: Karwai Tang/ WireImage)
Furthermore, his use of the N-word was still included in the BBC’s broadcast, despite the ceremony not being live, which generated widespread backlash and sparked debates online about a duty of care.
In the aftermath, the broadcaster removed the episode from iPlayer, a spokesperson 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.
‘We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast, and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.’
In an interview with Variety, Davidson said words or statements he said during tics were ‘the last thing in the world I believe’.
‘The most offensive word that I ticked at the ceremony, for example, is a word I would never use and would completely condemn if I did not have Tourette’s,’ he said.
Speaking about living with the condition, Davidson explained it could be ‘distressing’ and that people could face ‘discrimination and isolation as a result’.
‘When socially unacceptable words come out, the guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress. I can’t begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in,’ he continued.
‘I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe. It’s an involuntary neurological misfire. My tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values.’
Tourettes Action issued their own response to Metro, telling us that tics are ‘not a reflection of a person’s beliefs, intentions, or character.’
‘People with Tourette’s can say words or phrases they do not mean, do not endorse, and feel great distress about afterwards. These symptoms are neurological, not intentional, and they are something John – like many others with Tourette’s – lives with every single day,’ said a spokesperson.
The organisation has urged people to watch I Swear to get a grasp of the ‘isolation, misunderstanding, and emotional weight that so often accompany this condition’.
I Swear is now streaming on Netflix.
A version of this article was originally published on February 23, 2025.
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Can Project Helix put up a serious fight?(Credits: Getty Images)
The Friday letters page doesn’t think parents pay enough attention to age ratings for games, as one reader wishes John Carpenter hadn’t made Toxic Commando.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Simultaneous release So Project Helix is a codename, but what do we think Microsoft is really going to call the new console? For a start, they need to get rid of all that Series X/Series S nonsense, because that was terrible. Just call it Xbox something. Xbox Infinite always seemed a good one to me, but I’m fine with calling it Xbox 6, because at this point who’s counting?
I don’t want to get into a PlayStation vs. Xbox thing because I think if Project Helix is different enough it can exist alongside the PlayStation 6. But releasing them both at the same time seems like a really bad idea.
If Helix is more expensive and PlayStation 6 has actual proper exclusives I don’t think anyone is going to pick Xbox unless they’re hardcore fans. And I don’t even know if there’s many of them left.
Microsoft was probably aiming to get Helix out before PlayStation 6, but I wonder if Sony fast-tracked their console when they found out. That doesn’t bode too well for either the hardware or the launch games. Focus
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Force themselves Strange how quickly Battlefield 6 has fallen out of favour. Beating Call Of Duty one minute and then going free to play the next. I guess for all its faults Call Of Duty probably knows how to keep people playing better and as much as fans hate all the wacky skins at least that gives you something eye-catching to promote the game with.
EA said they’re going to keep everything in Battlefield 6 realistic but if that’s the case how many camouflage outfits do you really want to pay for? I was going to buy the game when it was cheap, so I guess I’ll try it out for free and then by the time that’s over it’ll probably be discounted enough for me.
I feel this improves the chances of Star Wars: Battlefront 3 though. EA’s likely to see it as a quick and obvious way to reuse the same tech in a new game. One where you can do as many wacky skins as you like and no one’s going to complain. Not saying they’ll definitely do it but it does seem more likely to me now. Taylor Moon
Price block I don’t like to be negative about something we haven’t see yet but I have to agree with other readers that I’m already sick of hearing Microsoft talk about Project Helix. The arrogance and complete lack of humility hasn’t changed at all since the exit of Phil Spencer, proving it was always just the company standard.
I think the real cynicism is coming from the price though. I just don’t see how you get past the fact that Helix is going to be more expensive than any other format, including Steam Machine. People would be taking a risk on Helix, and when you’re doing that you don’t generally want to be spending more money than you would have otherwise. I don’t care what the marketing campaign is like, there’s not getting over that. Heston
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Free money Of all the games that John Carpenter could’ve put his name to it ended up being a Left 4 Dead clone? I don’t believe for one minute that Toxic Commando was his idea. If you know the man, he often talks about how he enjoys putting out his hand and getting free money for doing nothing, every time a company wants to remake one of his films. It happens so often he just treats it like a joke.
I think he must’ve been the same with this game. Someone phoned him up and asked him if he could do a soundtrack and sketch out some hokey story. That’s money for old rope as far as he’s concerned. The only downside is he has to put his name to the game, when it might not be that great, but they didn’t make him do any press for it, that I’ve seen, so it’s pretty low risk/low effort.
It’s a shame because I don’t think he’s got it in him to make a new movie, but a game could’ve been something else. A slower paced survival horror would’ve been absolutely perfect for him, but I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. He is attached to the Halloween online game, but I think that’s just going to be another free handout. Saltie
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Artificial temptation The worst thing about Microsoft not mentioning AI, when talking about Project Helix, is that we all know it’s going to be there, but they know it’s not popular, so they’re trying to pretend otherwise. I’ve got a genius level idea: maybe if people don’t like something you shouldn’t do it? Especially if you’re trying to hawk your ultra expensive PC in a box.
We all know that Project Helix is going to be a failure, but I predict it will be over AI. It’s going to be too expensive already, but you know Microsoft can’t stop themselves from pushing games made by AI and they’re all going to be horrible. The Microsoft boss is a nut for AI, there’s no way he won’t force them to do it. Goose
Wrong number Interesting to see the change in age ratings for games like EA Sports FC. Although I would be absolutely shocked if more than 10% of adults paid even the slightest bit of attention to a game’s age rating, and I’m probably greatly overestimating that amount.
I used to work at a games shop when I was a student and not only did parents not care they would get violently angry if you pointed out that a game was above the age of their kid. This happened so many times with GTA that my boss told me not to bother, even though it was supposed to be policy that we did.
It was obvious why they were angry too. They knew what they were doing was wrong, but they didn’t care because games are too good a babysitter to give up just on the off chance that it turns their kid into a badly adjusted person.
I also can’t say how many times I heard parents try to argue that the number was the difficulty of the game, as if I wouldn’t be the one to know that it definitely wasn’t that.
To anyone out there reading this, that’s a good parent and careful about what their kids play I salute you, because I can tell you that you are the minority.
Of course, nowadays you have Roblox instead, which is a thousand times worse and doesn’t have any age ratings, but thankfully that’s not my problem. Coolsbane
Strange selection Has Bafta ever commented on why they always try and ignore Japanese games as much as possible? It’s so blatant I really don’t know how they justify it. Although the real insult is not doing it and yet also nominating something as milquetoast as Ghost Of Yōtei as game of the year.
That’s just rubbing your face in it, especially when they didn’t even nominate Hollow Knight: Silksong or Hades 2, which I think most people would say were easily a lot better. Hibby
Day of the plumber Nintendo has finally recognised the day GameCentral and their viewers have been celebrating for years! It’s MAR10 Day (earlier in the week)! I usually get newsletters from Nintendo quite regularly, but it’s the first, if I remember correctly, that I have seen this from Nintendo as a form of advertising.
There is definitely cause for celebration with Pokémon Pokopia and their 2.2 million sales of the game, which appears to be a considerable success story if ever I saw one. It’s a very cutesy game to look at, with the charm and not too over complicated gameplay mechanics to enjoy and experiment with. The setting up of one’s home looks a wee bit convoluted and a wee bit messy, but apparently completing the story mode gives you a useful skill to help craft and build your home better.
It appears also, that Resident Evil Requiem has been a big success, and we’re only in March, but two very different games have hit their mark in only a short space of time. Very well deserved too and I can’t wait to be getting back to this amazing franchise soon, after my little backlog has been lightened.
With the Super Mario Galaxy movie coming out soon, it’s the latest adaptation to follow Fallout, Borderlands, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Resident Evil films, along with the excellent Castlevania and Tomb Raider animations.
I saw an awesome movie based on a game the other day, called Iron Lung, by YouTuber Markiplier and despite it having its critics, it basically follows the Iron Lung story and gameplay perfectly, including the environment it’s set in. Will be definitely getting the Blu Ray when it’s released.
So hopefully everyone had a fantastic MAR10 day and wow, what an amazing start to the year for games, and movies inspired by games, setting up 2026 to be one heck of a year! Alucard
GC: Nintendo has been using Mario Day to promote things since 2016.
Inbox also-rans I think Marathon is going to be hit. I’ve completely enjoyed everything I’ve played of it so far and I’m very much looking forward to the big update. I don’t think it’s as good as Destiny 2 but it is good. Carpetnator
Does anyone else wish Capcom would remake Resident Evil 3 again before moving on to other stuff? That one was so bad and it was almost nothing like the original, which is weird because all the other remakes have been good. Icchi boo
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This year’s Baftas host Alan Cumming has issued a statement reflecting on the “shitshow” that arose during the ceremony last month.
For the past week, Bafta has been facing a wave of scrutiny over an event which transpired during the recent film awards, in which Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson experienced a series of involuntary tics, resulting in him shouting a variety of slurs from the audience.
Early on in the ceremony, Alan 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.”
Near the end of the ceremony, the Traitors US presenter added an apology on behalf of Bafta, stating: “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 apologise if you are offended tonight.”
Baftas guests John Davidson (left) and presenters Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo (right)
Tristan Fewings/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA/Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock/
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Alan posted a statement about the Baftas on Instagram, telling his followers: “It’s now a week since I hosted the Baftas. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma-triggering shitshow.
“I’m so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I’m so sorry the Tourette’s community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition.
“The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured.”
He continued: “We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night’s events.”
After Delroy Lindo voiced his disappointment at how Bafta handled the incident during this year’s ceremony, the awards body issued a statement apologising to both actors, and accepting “full responsibility” for what transpired.
Meanwhile, the BBC has said its director-general has “fast-tracked” an investigation into how the slur came to be included in its coverage of the Baftas, which a spokesperson has described as a “serious mistake”.
John Davidson also shared his own feelings a week after the ceremony, writing on social media: “Whilst I will never [apologise] for having Tourette syndrome, I will apologise for any pain, upset and misunderstanding that it may create.
“This past week has been tough, and has reminded me that what I do, raising awareness for such a misunderstood condition, there is still a long way to go and I will keep on keeping on until this is achieved.”
Alan Cumming has criticised the Baftas and BBC a week on from the awards ceremony (Pictures: Getty)
Alan Cumming has apologised for the ‘trauma triggering s***show’ sparked by the Baftas.
Last Sunday night, the annual British film awards ceremony was overshadowed by an incident in which Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson experienced a series of tics, one of which included yelling out a racial slur at Sinners stars’ Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo whilst they were on stage presenting an award.
Despite a two-hour delay of the broadcast, the BBC still aired the moment in its coverage, before taking the awards down from iPlayer following significant backlash.
Addressing the outbursts during the event, host Alan said that Davidson had ‘no control’ over the outbursts. He explained: ‘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.’
However, a week on he’s now shared a lengthy statement on social media addressing what unfolded.
‘It’s now a week since I hosted the BAFTAs,’ the 61-year-old Scottish actor began.
He said the racial slur controversy caused a ‘trauma triggering s***show’ (Picture: Stuart Wilson/ Bafta/ Getty Images for Bafta)
‘What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering s***show.
‘I’m so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I’m so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition.’
‘The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgment about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured.’
Concluding his statement, Alan alluded to mistakes made by Bafta and the BBC.
‘We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech,’ he wrote, before offering his congratulations to ‘all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night’s events’.
Soon after the event, Delroy said he and Jordan ‘did what we had to do’ while presenting, but he wished ‘someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward’.
Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage when Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson yelled out the N-word (Picture: Stuart Wilson/ Bafta/ Getty Images for Bafta)
The day after the awards, John issued an apology saying he was ‘deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.’
In an interview with Variety, he also explained that he had an ‘expectation’ the BBC would blur out his comments, also questioning why he’d been sat close by a microphone too.
‘I had an expectation that the BBC would physically control the sound at the awards on Sunday. I was so far from the stage. From the lack of response from the early presenters to my tics, and with no one turning around to look at me, I assumed, like everyone else, that I could not be heard on the stage,’ he said.
‘The only time I became aware that my tic had reached the stage was when Delroy and Michael B. Jordan appeared to look up from their role as presenters, and soon after that I decided to leave the auditorium.’
Reflecting on his tics being broadcast, he explained that StudioCanal and Bafta had confirmed that ‘any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast’. ‘I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past, and feel that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette’s and worked harder to prevent anything that I said — which, after all, was some 40 rows back from the stage — from being included in the broadcast.
The day after the awards John said he was ‘deeply mortified’ (Picture: Aurore Marechal/ Bafta/ Getty Images for Bafta)
‘As I reflect on the auditorium, I remember there was a microphone just in front of me, and with hindsight I have to question whether this was wise, so close to where I was seated, knowing I would tic.’
Last week Bafta also issued an ‘unreserved apology’ for the ‘very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many’.
‘We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all. 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,’ it said.
Meanwhile the BBC has also apologised, while its Executive Complaints Unit will now complete a ‘fast-tracked investigation’ into the incident.
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Saturday Night Live is facing criticism over a recently-shared sketch making light of an incident which took place at the 2026 Baftas.
Over the weekend, SNL’s cast and guest host Connor Storrie took part in a skit referencing the moment in which Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson experienced an involuntary tic during this year’s Baftas and, as a result, shouted a racist slur while Sinners actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were presenting on stage.
The sketch in question – which was cut for time, and didn’t air in the main SNL show, but was subsequently uploaded to the show’s YouTube channel – saw depictions of controversial figures including JK Rowling, Mel Gibson, Armie Hammer and Bill Cosby blaming their own past actions on having Tourette’s syndrome.
As footage of the skit became more widely-shared, it was met with immediate backalsh, including from Emma McNally, the chief executive officer of the UK charity Tourette’s Action.
Connor Storrie with Saturday Night Live cast members Sarah Sherman and Andrew Dismukes
In a statement provided to HuffPost UK, she said: “Over recent weeks, our community has faced an unprecedented wave of online trolling, misinformation, and targeted mockery.
“Following the extremely difficult events surrounding the Baftas, many people with Tourette’s have been struggling with fear, shame, isolation and a huge need to defend a condition they cannot control.
“We had hoped this would be a new week and we could move on but the release of further content online that has been designed to ridicule Tourette’s and reduce our community to a punchline has only deepened that hurt.”
“I want to be completely clear here this is not acceptable,” she continued. “Mocking a disability is never acceptable. It would not be tolerated for any other condition, and it should not be tolerated by people with Tourette’s.
“Tourette’s is a complex neurological condition, of which there is no cure. It is not a joke. It is not a personality trait. It is not a source of entertainment. It is a condition that can be extremely debilitating, causing pain isolation and huge amounts of discrimination.
“Videos and posts that deliberately misrepresent or sensationalise tics set us back years. A single video can undo the progress our community has spent years building toward greater awareness.
“I hope those creating these videos understand that they create real consequences for people in our community: fear, isolation, bullying, abuse, and a feeling among many that they must hide away to stay safe.”
The statement added: “The trolling and harassment members of our community have endured in the past few days has been horrific. People have been targeted with threats and humiliation simply for having a condition they did not choose. No one should ever be treated that way.
“These recent events have been painful for multiple communities, and I am not for one minute dismissing that hurt, but directing anger and ridicule to people with Tourette’s does nothing to heal that pain and does not move us forward.
“What we need right now is people to be kind. We need compassion, accurate information and above all, we need education.”
John Davidson recently posted his own statement about the Baftas on Facebook, writing: “Whilst I will never [apologise] for having Tourette syndrome, I will apologise for any pain, upset and misunderstanding that it may create.
“This past week has been tough, and has reminded me that what I do, raising awareness for such a misunderstood condition, there is still a long way to go and I will keep on keeping on until this is achieved.”
Meanwhile, after Delroy Lindo voiced his disappointment at how Bafta handled the situation, the organisation issued a public apology to the two Sinners actors for how things transpired, accepting “full responsibility”.
During the awards show, which took place last month, Tourette’s syndrome campaigner John Davidson experienced an involuntary tic while Wunmi’s co-stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage, resulting in him shouting the N-word from the audience.
In the week that followed, both Bafta and the BBC faced scrutiny about the incident, particularly after the racial slur was included in the national broadaster’s coverage of the event, which aired on a two-hour time delay.
Asked for her “take” during an interview with Entertainment Tonight at Sunday’s Actor Awards, Wunmi began: “I was there and it was painful to have that celebration kind of really tainted for me.”
While the British actor was quick to state that she holds “no hard feelings towards John Davidson at all”, she pointed out that Bafta has a “lot of lessons to learn” following what transpired at this year’s ceremony.
“That’s one thing,” she added. “And then the BBC is a whole other thing. That’s the bit that really kind of kept me awake at night and brought tears to my eyes. I was like, ‘you really chose to keep that in’. I can’t understand it. And I’m not sure if I can forgive it.”
After Delroy Lindo expressed disappointment over how Bafta handled the incident, Bafta issued a public apology to both actors, and accepted “full responsibility” for what transpired.
Meanwhile, the BBC has “fast-tracked” an investigation into how the racist slur came to be included in its Baftas broadcast, which a spokesperson described as a “serious mistake”.
Following her win at the 2026 Baftas, Wunmi is currently in the running to pick up Best Supporting Actress at the upcoming Oscars, where Sinners has made history as the awards show’s most-nominated film ever.
Last month, John attended the awards show with the cast and crew of I Swear, a film inspired by his life story and experiences of living with Tourette’s.
During the event, he experienced a number of involuntary tics, one of which occurred while Sinners actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage, resulting in him shouting the N-word from the audience.
In the last week, the incident has sparked a wave of headlines, with the BBC in particular facing scrutiny over how the uncensored slur ended up being included in the broadcaster’s Baftas coverage, which aired on a two-hour delay.
On Sunday, a week after the Baftas, John shared a message on his public Facebook page, claiming he’d been “waiting all week until the dust settles” to speak out.
“I would like to thank each and every one of you who have shown love, support and solidarity towards myself and the rest of the Tourette’s community,” he began. “Your kind words and support have got me through a very difficult week.
“Whilst I will never [apologise] for having Tourette syndrome, I will apologise for any pain, upset and misunderstanding that it may create. This past week has been tough, and has reminded me that what I do, raising awareness for such a misunderstood condition, there is still a long way to go and I will keep on keeping on until this is achieved.”
The director of Bafta-winning film I Swear said Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson was ‘let down’ after his racist outburst was broadcast during the BBC’s coverage of the ceremony.
Davidson, 54, yelled the N-word at black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the BAFTAs at the Royal Festival Hall in London last Sunday.
The Scottish activist admitted he felt a ‘wave of shame’ over the outburst and issued a swift apology, claiming he was ‘deeply mortified’.
Kirk Jones, who directed the film inspired by Davidson, said he thought the slur had been contained within the auditorium.
‘I think John was let down on many, many levels,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.
‘And I think the fact that that [tic] went out for broadcast was perhaps one of the worst ways in which he was let down on the night.
‘If you just imagine for a second that that was not broadcast, then suddenly the problem was restricted to everyone in the room.
‘And Bafta could write to everyone in the room, and they [could have] said, ‘We wanted to apologise again, we understand, this, that and the other.’
‘They could have done that the next day to all the guests, and no one would have known that it happened… You wouldn’t have the clips.’
Director of Bafta-winning film I Swear Kirk Jones (pictured) said John Davidson was ‘let down’ after his racist outburst was broadcast during the BBC’s coverage of the ceremony
Tourette’s campaigner Davidson (pictured) yelled the N-word at black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the BAFTAs at the Royal Festival Hall in London last Sunday
Jordan and Lindo were on stage presenting an award when Davidson’s outburst occurred
It comes after Davidson spoke out about his ‘unbearable guilt and shame’ at the incident as he described how the word ‘burst out of me like a gunshot’.
He said he shouted 10 different offensive words on the night of the awards, not just the N-word, even calling BAFTAs host Alan Cumming a ‘paedophile’.
Davidson told Variety: ‘On Sunday, Alan Cumming joked about his own sexuality and, when referencing Paddington Bear, said, ‘Maybe you would like to come home with me, Paddington. It wouldn’t be the first time I have taken a hairy Peruvian bear home with me.’
‘This resulted in homophobic tics from me and led to a shout of “paedophile” that was likely triggered because Paddington Bear is a children’s character.’
One of Davidson’s biggest symptoms is coprolalia which makes him involuntarily say socially inappropriate words or phrases, including when he famously shouted ‘f*** the Queen’ at Queen Elizabeth II when he was awarded his MBE in 2019.
Davidson has suffered from a severe form of Tourette’s since the age of 12.
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BBC ‘let down’ Tourette’s activist John Davidson by broadcasting his racist outburst, director claims
The BBC has confirmed that a second racist slur was edited out of Sunday night’s Baftas broadcast, after the corporation has faced widespread backlash over its coverage of this year’s event.
In the last two days, the BBC has come under fire over the decision to include an uncensored slur in this year’s Baftas broadcast, which aired on a two-hour time delay.
Early on in the ceremony, Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson shouted the N-word after experiencing an involuntary tic while Sinners actor Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award.
This backlash was then exacerbated by the news that an acceptance speech by filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr had been edited to remove a message of solidarity with Palestine from the broadcast.
Eventually, on Monday afternoon, the BBC issued an apology, and confirmed that the use of the N-word was being removed from the version of the Baftas streaming on its iPlayer service.
Tourette’s advocate John Davidson at the 2026 Baftas
Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
The following afternoon, BBC News reported that a second slur had been successfully removed from the broadcast ahead of time, which a BBC spokesperson confirmed to be the case in an internal memo shared with HuffPost UK.
This memo, sent by the BBC’s chief content officer Kate Phillips, reads: “I’m so sorry that a racial slur was not edited out of our broadcast. We understand how distressing this was.
“Award attendees were pre-warned about the possibility of involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette Syndrome at the start of the show, and Alan Cumming addressed it during the broadcast. Of course, this doesn’t lessen the impact and upset.
“The edit team removed another racial slur from the broadcast. This one was aired in error and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast. We take full responsibility for what happened. When I was made aware it was audible on iPlayer, I asked for it to be taken down.”
A BBC rep also reiterated to HuffPost UK: “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.
“We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it has been removed from BBC iPlayer.”
Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo on stage at the 2026 Baftas
Stuart Wilson via Getty Images for BAFTA
BBC News has claimed that the reason producers did not edit out the original slur was because they were working from a truck, and therefore missed the moment when it happened in the room, though this remains unconfirmed by Bafta and the broadcaster itself.
Meanwhile, after Delroy Lindo expressed his disappointment at the way Bafta handled the incident, a spokesperson issued a lengthy apology taking “full responsibility” for what transpired.
John also released a statement of his own, saying: “I am, and always have been, deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”
