The BBC has apologised after a racial slur was broadcast during the Bafta film awards, with producers saying they did not hear the remark as they were working in a truck. The offensive word was shouted involuntarily by John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome campaigner, while actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were on stage presenting an award.
The broadcast containing the slur remained on BBC iPlayer overnight before being taken down. The BBC later issued an apology and said the show would be re-edited. In a statement, the corporation said: “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.”
Bafta also apologised, saying it took “full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation”. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the BBC, saying it had made a “horrible mistake” and that the word “should have been bleeped”. She noted that other incidents, including shouts of “Free Palestine”, had been edited out.
The incident drew criticism from actors Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce, with Foxx calling it “unacceptable” and Pierce saying the insult to Lindo and Jordan should have been prioritised. Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler said she had also faced a racial slur and criticised Bafta’s apology. Lindo reportedly told Vanity Fair that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” by remaining calm, but wished someone from Bafta had spoken to them afterwards.
Host Alan Cumming had explained during the ceremony that tics associated with Tourette syndrome are involuntary. Davidson, who was born in Galashiels and appointed an MBE in 2019, attended the awards as his film I Swear was nominated in several categories. Tourettes Action later released a statement saying it wanted to address negative comments following the incident.
