BBC apologizes for airing racial slur during BAFTAs ceremony

The BBC has expressed profound regret over a serious broadcasting error during the BAFTAs on February 22, where a racial slur was aired live as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. The offensive language was uttered involuntarily by John Davidson, a Tourette’s campaigner and the inspiration for the film ‘I Swear’. Despite being symptomatic of his condition, the slur was broadcast to viewers for over 12 hours before being removed from BBC iPlayer. Outgoing BBC Director General Tim Davie acknowledged the mistake in a letter to Dame Caroline Dinenage, emphasizing that no one in the on-site broadcast truck was aware of the slur at the time, and therefore no editorial decision allowed it to air intentionally. Both Jordan and Lindo continued their presentation after pausing briefly. Davidson expressed that he was ‘deeply mortified’ by the incident. The controversy overshadowed the film’s recognition, with Robert Aramayo winning the best actor award. BBC Chief Content Officer Kate Philips communicated internally about the ongoing investigation, highlighting staff frustrations over the handling of the incident and the importance of addressing the upset caused. The BBC has taken full responsibility for the error and pledged to review its processes to prevent similar incidents in the future.