BAFTA Broadcast Under Fire After Racial Slur Is Heard During Michael B. Jordan & Delroy Lindo’s Presentation
By Alexus Mosley
Photo Credit/Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty
A moment from Sunday night’s BAFTA ceremony is drawing backlash after a racial slur was heard while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award on stage.
The voice came from John Davidson, a Tourette's syndrome campaigner whose life inspired the British indie film I Swear. Davidson, who was in attendance, has Tourette syndrome, a neurological condition that can cause involuntary vocal tics, including swearing. Audience members had reportedly been warned ahead of the ceremony that tics could occur.
The moment aired unedited on the BBC broadcast and remained available on BBC iPlayer before being removed. The BBC later issued an apology, saying the incident should not have been included in the broadcast. BAFTA host Alan Cumming addressed the moment during the ceremony, asking for understanding and noting that Tourette syndrome is a disability and tics are involuntary. Still, several figures in the film industry spoke out about the harm caused.
Black Panther production designer Hannah Beachler said the slur was directed at her later that evening as well, calling the situation painful and difficult to process. Actor Wendell Pierce criticized the lack of a direct apology to Jordan and Lindo, while Jamie Foxx called the moment “unacceptable.”
The incident has sparked a broader conversation online about how public institutions handle disability, accountability, and harm when both realities collide in real time.