Tourette's Campaigner John Davidson Confesses 'Wave of Shame' Over BAFTAs Racial Slur Incident
The Tourette's syndrome activist who involuntarily yelled the N-word at two black actors during the BAFTAs ceremony has publicly admitted to experiencing a "wave of shame" following the distressing outburst. John Davidson, 54, has also revealed that he directed other offensive remarks at host Alan Cumming during the same event.
Incident at Royal Festival Hall Sparks Widespread Backlash
During Sunday's prestigious BAFTA awards at London's Royal Festival Hall, Davidson shouted the racial slur at Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo as they presented the evening's first award. The Scottish campaigner, whose life story inspired the nominated film I Swear, has faced significant criticism, including from Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx, who labelled the comment "unacceptable".
Although neither actor visibly reacted on stage, BAFTAs host Alan Cumming later addressed the audience, stating "we apologise if it has caused offence." Davidson made the decision to leave the ceremony partway through after multiple incendiary outbursts occurred.
Davidson's Detailed Account of the Distressing Evening
In a recent interview, Davidson described his "unbearable guilt and shame" regarding the incident, explaining how the offensive word "burst out of me like a gunshot." He disclosed that he actually shouted ten different offensive words throughout the awards evening, not just the racial slur, including calling Cumming a "paedophile."
Davidson told Variety magazine that Cumming's joke about his own sexuality and Paddington Bear triggered homophobic tics, leading to the paedophile remark. "This resulted in homophobic tics from me and led to a shout of 'paedophile' that was likely triggered because Paddington Bear is a children's character," he explained.
Understanding Coprolalia and Its Devastating Impact
One of Davidson's most prominent symptoms is coprolalia, a condition that causes involuntary utterance of socially inappropriate words or phrases. This same condition led to his infamous "f*** the Queen" outburst when receiving his MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2019.
"When socially unacceptable words come out, the guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress," Davidson revealed. "I can't begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in."
The activist, who has suffered from severe Tourette's since age 12, shared other distressing incidents from his life:
- He once involuntarily punched his adoptive mother while she was driving at speed, nearly causing a head-on collision
- He was "physically beaten to within an inch of my life with an iron bar" by a man after making an involuntary comment to his girlfriend
- During a police search of his car at Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2019, he yelled "A bomb! I've got a f***ing bomb!"
Apologies and Criticism Following the Controversy
Davidson has proactively reached out to the studio producing Sinners to apologise directly to Jordan, Lindo, and production designer Hannah Beachler, who reported that a racial slur was directed at her while leaving for dinner after the show.
The campaigner also criticised the BBC for failing to edit out the offensive language during the broadcast, despite the ceremony being pre-recorded two hours earlier. He expressed disappointment that the corporation had "an expectation" to control the sound but aired the N-word to millions of viewers.
This editorial decision stands in contrast to the BBC's handling of other content, as they edited out "Free Palestine" from filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr's acceptance speech after My Father's Shadow won the BAFTA for outstanding British debut.
BAFTA's Official Response and Industry Reactions
Following the ceremony, Delroy Lindo expressed disappointment that no BAFTA representative had spoken to him or Jordan about the incident afterward. "We did what we had to do while presenting," he stated, "but I wish someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward."
On Monday, BAFTA issued an "unreserved apology" for the "very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many." Their statement acknowledged the harm caused and apologised to all affected parties while explaining the measures taken to prepare attendees for Davidson's involuntary tics.
The organisation praised both the actors' "incredible dignity and professionalism" and Davidson's consideration in leaving the auditorium to watch the remainder of the ceremony from a screen. "We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation," BAFTA concluded, "and we will learn from this, keeping inclusion at the core of all we do."
Davidson himself issued a statement expressing gratitude for the understanding shown by BAFTA and attendees, while reiterating his lifelong commitment to supporting the Tourette's community and promoting empathy and understanding.
