Bafta Review Finds Shortcomings in Handling of Racial Slur Incident

An independent review has concluded that the British Academy Film Awards (Bafta) fell short in its duty of care following the incident where John Davidson, a Tourette’s campaigner, involuntarily shouted a racial slur during the awards ceremony in February. While the review found no malicious intent, it highlighted ‘structural weaknesses’ in Bafta’s planning and risk management processes, stating that they hadn’t kept pace with its diversity and inclusion goals. The incident occurred while actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage. Bafta has issued an apology to those affected, including the black and disabled communities. Davidson, who has Tourette’s syndrome, explained that the involuntary utterance was a symptom of his condition and not reflective of his beliefs. The review emphasized that the event wasn’t evidence of institutional racism, but rather pointed to deficiencies in Bafta’s risk governance systems. Following the incident, Bafta host Alan Cumming previously apologised, and the actors involved carried on with the ceremony, though with reservations. The BBC’s complaints unit also upheld complaints regarding the broadcast, deeming it a breach of editorial standards, though not intentional. Bafta has pledged to improve its processes and escalate information sharing to prevent similar incidents in the future, and to address any gaps in cultural knowledge.