Outcry roils BAFTAs after guest shouts at Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo
The BAFTA ceremony was overshadowed when Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson shouted a racial slur while Delroy Lindo and michael b jordan were onstage presenting. The incident prompted apologies from BAFTA and the broadcaster and has drawn criticism from prominent figures.
What happened in the auditorium: multiple outbursts by John Davidson
John Davidson, the campaigner whose life inspired the film I Swear, was heard several times shouting during the ceremony. One of those shouts included the N-word while Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were presenting what was described in some accounts as the award for best visual effects and in others as the evening’s first prize. After the disturbance Davidson left the auditorium early into the ceremony.
Host Alan Cumming made onstage explanations and apologies
Alan Cumming made two announcements during the show explaining that Tourette syndrome is a disability and that the tics heard that night are involuntary and beyond the control of the person who has the condition. From the stage he said the tics can be involuntary and added apologies for anyone offended, framing the outbursts as part of the condition in some people. After the slur he apologised directly for the "strong and offensive language. "
BAFTA and the broadcaster apologise; delayed broadcast kept the slur in place
BAFTA apologised for "offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many" and said it was grateful to Michael and Delroy for their "incredible dignity and professionalism. " The broadcaster also apologised for the language being heard in the recorded transmission and said the involuntary tics were not intentional. The ceremony was aired on a tape delay of roughly two hours, and the offensive word remained in the televised feed and on the broadcaster’s streaming service on the morning after the event; the programme was later removed. Separate production staff said they had not heard the slur live because they were working in a truck.
Reactions from peers: Jamie Foxx, Wendell Pierce, Hannah Beachler and others
Jamie Foxx commented under a social post with the words "Unacceptable" and "Nah he meant that shit. " Wendell Pierce said it was "infuriating that the first reaction wasn’t complete and full throatted [sic] apologies to Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan, " adding that the insult to them "takes priority" and that the reasoning for the racist slur does not change that. Production designer Hannah Beachler said the situation "is almost impossible" and criticised what she called a "throwaway" apology, writing that the event "happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show. " Journalist Jemele Hill wrote that Black people are expected to accept being disrespected and dehumanised so others do not feel bad.
Voices from the Tourette community and Davidson’s statement
Tourettes Action urged understanding of the condition and emphasised that tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of a person’s beliefs, intentions or character. John Davidson said he was "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning, " added that he has spent his life supporting and empowering the Tourette community, and said he chose to leave the auditorium early because he was aware of the distress his tics were causing.
Medical context and broader aftermath at BAFTA events
Accounts in the wake of the ceremony reiterated medical descriptions of Tourette syndrome as involving sudden involuntary movements or vocalisations that can wax and wane and sometimes worsen with excitement or anxiety; some people who try to suppress tics report a buildup of tension before a tic erupts. One account noted that some 10–20% of people with the condition can be affected by coprolalia, while another put that figure at about 10–15%. At post-ceremony gatherings, Delroy Lindo said he and Jordan "did what we had to do" while presenting and that he wished someone from BAFTA had spoken to them afterwards. Lindo was later described as being in good spirits and was seen chatting with his costar Wunmi Mosaku, who won the BAFTA for best supporting actress. Robert Aramayo won the rising-star award and the lead-actor prize at the ceremony, and Ryan Coogler won best original screenplay; BAFTA hosted a dinner for nominees and guests where the incident was widely discussed.
