Outgoing BBC Director-General Tim Davie has stated that the corporation "profoundly regrets" an incident where a racial slur was broadcast during the Bafta film awards on BBC One. The event, which took place on February 22, saw Tourette's campaigner John Davidson involuntarily shout the slur as actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award.
BBC's Response to the Incident
In a letter to Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Davie clarified that although the slur was symptomatic of Davidson's disability, it should never have been aired. He emphasised, "It was a genuine mistake, and we take full responsibility for our error." The committee had previously sought an explanation for how the language bypassed a two-hour time delay.
Details of the Broadcast Errors
Davie explained that there were two instances of the slur being shouted during the ceremony. In the first, while Jordan and Lindo were on stage, no one in the on-site broadcast truck heard it on the live feed, leading to no editorial decision to remove it. In the second instance, as actress Wunmi Mosaku accepted her award, the edit team did hear the slur and immediately excised it from the version scheduled for later broadcast.
However, confusion arose when reports, including from Bafta, indicated a racial slur had been shouted. The editing team mistakenly believed they had already addressed the issue by removing the second incident, unaware of the first occurrence. This oversight resulted in the slur remaining in the broadcast.
Reactions and Ongoing Reviews
John Davidson, whose Tourette's syndrome causes involuntary outbursts, has expressed being "deeply mortified" by the incident. His film, I Swear, which details his life and struggles, was nominated at the awards. Bafta has also apologised, taking "full responsibility" for placing guests in a difficult situation and initiating a comprehensive review to prevent future occurrences.
The BBC and Bafta are both conducting thorough investigations to enhance their broadcasting protocols and ensure such mistakes are not repeated in future live events.
