Outcry Roils BAFTAs After John Davidson Shouts Racial Slur at Presenters
john davidson, the real-life inspiration for the British film I Swear, interrupted Sunday night’s BAFTA Film Awards with a series of involuntary outbursts that included a racial slur directed at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while they presented best visual effects. The incident prompted onstage remarks from host Alan Cumming and widespread conversation among guests that continued through post-ceremony events.
John Davidson at the ceremony
Davidson’s vocal tics began during the opening monologue from Alan Cumming, when he was involuntarily ticking. Guests had been told before the show began that Davidson has Tourette syndrome. A floor manager welcomed him, saying: “John has Tourette’s syndrome, so please be aware you might hear some involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony. ”
Sequence of the outbursts
Over roughly the first 20 minutes of the BAFTA ceremony, Davidson was heard cursing and shouting multiple times. He shouted “Boring!” during housekeeping announcements before the show began, said “Bullshit!” when people were asked not to curse, and exclaimed “Shut the fuck up” while BAFTA chair Sara Putt made her introductory remarks. The outbursts culminated when he said the N-word as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for best visual effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash. Audience members gasped and Jordan appeared visibly startled when Davidson yelled from the auditorium.
Alan Cumming’s stage response
Cumming addressed the audience on multiple occasions during the show. From the stage he said: “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience. Thanks for your understanding and for helping create a respectful space for everyone. ” After Davidson left the auditorium, Cumming added: “Tourette’s syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight. ”
Leaving the hall and immediate aftermath
Davidson appeared to remove himself from the theater around 25 minutes into the proceedings at London’s Royal Festival Hall; he left of his own accord and was not reported to have been asked to leave. At the after-party following the ceremony, Delroy Lindo said he and Jordan “did what we had to do” while presenting, and added that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward. ” Lindo was later seen in good spirits, chatting with his costar Wunmi Mosaku, who won the BAFTA for best supporting actress.
Broadcast edits and public reaction
The BAFTAs were aired on a tape delay, and the slur remained in the broadcast. The broadcaster did not air outstanding-British-debut winner Akinola Davies Jr. saying “free Palestine” at the end of his speech. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said that “all edits were made to ensure the program was delivered to time. ” A separate spokesperson added: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed. ”
Community response and wider debate
The incident prompted debate among attendees and within the film community. Some guests expressed that Tourette’s syndrome is a deeply misunderstood condition and urged sensitivity to involuntary tics. Others said they were less tolerant of the outbursts and suggested the language could have been emotionally triggering for presenters. Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler wrote that the Davidson situation “is almost impossible… it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show. ”
BAFTA later hosted a dinner for nominees and guests where the incident remained the focus of conversation. The episode intersected with the awards themselves: Davidson’s condition is the inspiration for I Swear, and the film’s star, Robert Aramayo, won both the BAFTA rising-star award and the lead-actor prize, prevailing over front-runners including Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio and also beating nominees such as Ethan Hawke and Michael B. Jordan.
john davidson’s presence and the ensuing exchanges left the ceremony’s guests and presenters discussing how involuntary illness, broadcast decisions and live events intersected that night.
