Tourette’s advocate apologises after involuntary racial slur during BAFTAs ceremony

A Tourette’s campaigner, John Davidson MBE, has said he is “deeply mortified” after involuntarily shouting a racial slur during the 2026 BAFTAs ceremony. Davidson, who lives with severe Tourette syndrome, attended the awards after inspiring the film “I Swear,” which portrays his life and experiences with the condition. Tourette syndrome is characterised by involuntary vocal or physical tics, and in Davidson’s case, this includes calling out inappropriate words without intent or control.

The incident occurred while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting the first award of the evening. Following the outburst, the actors briefly paused before continuing with the ceremony. Davidson later said he was distressed by the disruption and chose to leave the main auditorium early, watching the remainder of the event from a separate screen to minimise further impact.

BAFTA organisers had informed the audience beforehand about Davidson’s condition and clarified that any vocal tics would not reflect his personal beliefs. Host Alan Cumming also addressed the interruption during the broadcast. In an official statement, BAFTA apologised unreservedly to the actors and attendees, acknowledging the deep pain associated with the slur and accepting responsibility for placing guests in a difficult situation.

The BBC initially left the moment unedited on BBC iPlayer for over 12 hours before removing it and issuing an apology. Both BAFTA and the BBC stated they would review procedures to prevent similar incidents and reaffirmed their commitment to inclusion and sensitivity.