John Davidson Outcry Roils BAFTAs After john davidson Shouts Slur
At Sunday night’s BAFTA Awards, john davidson—the real-life inspiration for the British film I Swear—was heard shouting a racial slur at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while they presented the award for best visual effects. The incident followed an opening monologue by host Alan Cumming in which Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, was involuntarily ticking.
John Davidson Outburst at BAFTAs
Sources at the ceremony said Davidson shouted the N-word as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented best visual effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash. The outbursts occurred repeatedly: Davidson was heard several times during the first 20 minutes of the BAFTA ceremony, including shouting “Boring!” during housekeeping announcements, “Bullshit!” when attendees were asked not to curse, and “Shut the fuck up” while BAFTA chair Sara Putt made her introductory remarks.
What Davidson shouted during ceremony
Guests had been warned before the show that they might hear involuntary noises or movements: a floor manager welcomed Davidson with the words, “John has Tourette’s syndrome, so please be aware you might hear some involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony. ” Despite that notice and Cumming’s interruptions, the use of the N-word prompted gasps from the audience as presenters reacted visibly.
Alan Cumming’s onstage explanations
Cumming interrupted his hosting several times to address the language. 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, ” and added, “Thanks for your understanding and for helping create a respectful space for everyone. ” Later he reiterated: “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. ”
Aftermath: reactions and after-parties
After the incident, Davidson appeared to remove himself from the theater; Variety noted his departure. At the Warner Bros. after-party following the ceremony, Delroy Lindo told Vanity Fair that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” while presenting, but that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward. ” Despite the disturbance, Lindo was in good spirits later and was seen chatting with his Sinners costar Wunmi Mosaku, who won the BAFTA for best supporting actress. Michael B. Jordan attended an after-party thrown by British GQ and Vogue briefly, listed as one of the event’s hosts.
Wider debate among attendees
The episode prompted debate among BAFTA attendees and online. Some guests emphasized that Tourette’s is widely misunderstood, while others said the language could have been emotionally triggering for presenters. Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler wrote on X 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. ”
Broadcast edits and official statements
The BAFTAs were aired on a tape delay but the slur was nevertheless included in the broadcast; the did not air outstanding-British-debut winner Akinola Davies Jr. saying “free Palestine” at the end of his speech. The said “all edits were made to ensure the program was delivered to time. ” A spokesperson told The Times, “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. ”
Wider ceremony outcomes and winners
Beyond the incident involving John Davidson, the ceremony included several major surprises. Robert Aramayo, who depicted the Scotsman at the center of I Swear, won the BAFTA for best actor—over Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Ethan Hawke and Michael B. Jordan—and also took the BAFTA rising-star award. The coverage noted that Aramayo isn’t even nominated in that very tight category at the Academy Awards. Ryan Coogler won best original screenplay and said, “I come from a community that loves me and spoke a lot of power into me. They made me believe that I could do this. That I could be a writer. ” The coverage also mentioned Prince Willi.
Following the ceremony, BAFTA hosted a dinner for nominees and guests where the Davidson incident was widely discussed among attendees.
Closing: The episode left organizers and guests balancing an understanding of Tourette’s syndrome with the immediate impact of the slur on presenters and viewers, prompting onstage explanations, social-media responses, and commitments to remove the language from future broadcasts.
