The BBC has issued a renewed apology for its handling of an incident at the Bafta film awards, where the N-word was broadcast during BBC One coverage and remained available overnight on BBC iPlayer. In response to mounting backlash, the corporation has taken down the show from the iPlayer platform and announced plans to re-edit it to remove the offensive language.
Incident Details and Immediate Response
The outburst occurred during the ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall, when John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome activist, was heard shouting the racial slur involuntarily. Davidson attended the event as the film I Swear, inspired by his life with TS, was nominated for several awards. The incident happened while actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were on stage presenting the first prize of the evening.
During the broadcast, Baftas host Alan Cumming addressed the situation, explaining that Tourette syndrome is a disability causing involuntary tics, and apologised for any offence caused. However, the BBC has faced criticism for not editing out the slur prior to the initial broadcast, which aired on BBC One with a two-hour delay on Sunday.
Backlash from Industry Figures
Prominent actors Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce have voiced their dismay over the incident. Foxx labelled it "unacceptable", while Pierce expressed frustration that the initial response did not prioritise apologies to Lindo and Jordan. He emphasised that the insult to them should take precedence, regardless of the reasoning behind the slur.
Additionally, Hannah Beachler, production designer for Sinners, criticised Bafta's apology as "throwaway" on social media, revealing she had also been subjected to a racial slur. The organisation has yet to explain why the N-word was not cut, especially since other content, such as a comment on the Israel-Gaza war by Akinola Davies Jr and a joke by Cumming referencing Donald Trump, were deleted from the broadcast.
BBC Statement and Ongoing Actions
In a statement, the BBC 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. We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer."
The corporation is now working on re-editing the show to ensure the slur is omitted, amid growing scrutiny over its editorial decisions. Bafta has been approached for further comment but has not yet provided additional details on the oversight.
