John Davidson outbursts prompt BBC apology and iPlayer removal after Bafta slur controversy
The Bafta Film Awards were punctured by a series of involuntary shouts from john davidson, a Tourette's campaigner whose vocal tics included a racial slur heard as two Black actors presented on stage. The incident has prompted a apology, the removal of the broadcast from iPlayer for re-editing and a sharp reaction from actors and industry figures.
John Davidson and Tourette's outbursts
John Davidson, the Scotland-based campaigner made an MBE in 2019 and the inspiration for the film I Swear, produced audible tics several times during the ceremony. Davidson was diagnosed with Tourette's at age 25 and first developed symptoms at 12; his symptoms include tics and uncontrollable outbursts that often involve cursing. At the awards he shouted phrases including "shut the fuck up" during a speech by BAFTA chair Sara Putt and "fuck you" when the directors of Boong collected the best children's and family film prize. On a separate occasion he shouted the N-word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award that was identified during the ceremony as best visual effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash. Davidson left the room part-way through the ceremony, reportedly of his own accord, and the outbursts were not audible in the second half after his departure.
broadcast and iPlayer removal
The ceremony was broadcast on One with a two-hour delay and was also shown on E! in the United States. The moments of strong language were not edited out before transmission; the programme remained on iPlayer on Monday morning before being removed for re-editing. A spokesperson apologised and said the offensive language arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette's and that it was not intentional. The broadcaster also committed to removing the footage from the online version.
Alan Cumming's statements and the audience
Host Alan Cumming made two on-stage announcements explaining the situation, telling the audience that Tourette's syndrome is a disability and that the tics heard were involuntary. Cumming thanked the room – which included the Prince and Princess of Wales – for its understanding and said: "We apologise if you are offended tonight. " Earlier, a floor manager had introduced Davidson to the audience, naming him as John Davidson MBE from the nominated film I Swear and warning that attendees might hear involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.
Industry backlash: Jamie Foxx, Wendell Pierce and Hannah Beachler
Reaction was swift and critical. Jamie Foxx wrote simply, "Unacceptable" and added, "Nah he meant that shit. " Actor Wendell Pierce said it was "infuriating" that the first reaction had not been a full apology to Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan, arguing that the insult to them takes priority regardless of the reason for the outburst. Journalist Jemele Hill commented that Black people are expected to tolerate disrespect and dehumanisation so others do not feel bad. Production designer Hannah Beachler said the situation "happened 3 times that night, " that one of the occurrences was directed at her on the way to dinner after the show, and criticised what she called a "throwaway" apology of "if you were offended" at the end of the broadcast.
I Swear, Robert Aramayo and BAFTA nominations
The film I Swear, directed, written and produced by Kirk Jones and inspired by Davidson's life, was up for five BAFTAs, including best leading actor for Robert Aramayo, best supporting actor for Peter Mullan, best original screenplay and casting — the latter of which the film won — and it was also competing for outstanding British film. Robert Aramayo collected the EE Rising Star award on Sunday and praised Davidson as "the most remarkable man I ever met, " noting Davidson's willingness to educate and his belief that there is still much to learn about Tourette's.
Health and prevalence details cited during the event and in related commentary noted Tourette's is characterised by sudden, involuntary and repetitive movements or sounds. Estimates offered in different accounts place the proportion of people with the condition who produce socially unacceptable words such as swearing at between 10% and 30% in one assessment and at some 10-20% in another.
What makes this notable is the collision of disability awareness, a high-profile awards broadcast with a two-hour delay and immediate public scrutiny, prompting both an on-stage explanation and a formal editorial response from the broadcaster. BAFTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the handling of Davidson's presence, and organisers had earlier introduced him to the audience as a nominated film contributor with Tourette's symptoms that might be audible.
The sequence — predictable tics, audible shouts during key moments, a delayed broadcast that was not edited, an apology and a re-edit — created measurable effects: the issued an apology, the programme was removed from iPlayer for re-editing, public figures publicly criticised the incident, and the film I Swear continued to be recognised across five BAFTA nominations and a casting win.
