Britain’s film academy and the BBC have apologized to viewers after an audience member with Tourette’s syndrome shouted a racial slur during the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).
Tourette syndrome advocate John Davidson yelled expletives during the show and could be heard shouting, “shut the f–k up” during a speech from BAFTA chair Sara Putt and he yelled “f–k you” when the directors of the winner for Best Children’s and Family Film were accepting their award.
Davidson also shouted the n-word as Sinners actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for special visual effects, the first award of the night. The highly offensive word was audible during the broadcast.
The actors appeared to pause for a moment after the racial slur was yelled before continuing their presentation.
The moment was not edited out of the BBC One broadcast, which was shown on a two-hour delay, and remained on BBC iPlayer on Monday morning before being removed, the BBC reported.
“We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer,” a BBC spokesperson said.
In its 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.”
BAFTA host Alan Cumming took the stage after Davidson’s outburst and told the audience, “You may have heard some strong and offensive language tonight. If you have seen the film I Swear, you will know that film is about the experience of a person with Tourette’s syndrome.”
Later on in the ceremony, Cumming made another statement, saying, “Tourette’s syndrome is a disability and the tics you have heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you were offended.”
The film, I Swear, follows the story of Davidson’s Tourette syndrome diagnosis at the age of 25 and his journey to raise public awareness.
Davidson left the ceremony around 25 minutes into the proceedings, on his own accord, according to The Hollywood Reporter (THR).
Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements and vocalizations, including the uttering of inappropriate words.
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Guests were told before the awards show began that they might occasionally hear Davidson’s tics and a floor manager welcomed him, saying, “John has Tourette’s syndrome, so please be aware you might hear some involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony,” THR reported.
The incident sparked outrage from some people in attendance and others who saw the clip online.
Sinners‘ production designer, Hannah Beachler, took to social media after the show to address the situation.
“I keep trying to write about what happened at the BAFTAs, and I can’t find the words,” Beachler wrote on X. “The situation is almost impossible, but it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.”
“I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throw away apology of ‘if you were offended,’” she said of Cumming’s statement after the outburst.
Wendell Pierce, who worked with Jordan on The Wire, wrote on X, “It’s infuriating that the first reaction wasn’t complete and full throated apologies to Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan. The insult to them takes priority. It doesn’t matter the reasoning for the racist slur.”
Jamie Foxx commented “unacceptable” and “Nah he meant that sh-t” in a post about the moment on Instagram.
Robert Aramayo, who won the BAFTA Rising Star Award, told the audience during his acceptance speech that Davidson is “the most remarkable man I ever met.”
“He’s so forthcoming with education and believes there should be still so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s,” Aramayo said. “For people living with Tourette’s, it’s us around them who help them define what their experience is,” Aramayo said. “So, to quote the film, they need support and understanding.”
Pippa McClounan, communications manager of the Tourettes Action charity, told BBC News that it’s important to “try and remember” that “as much as these words do cause hurt and shock in people, it’s really vital that the public understands a fundamental truth about Tourette’s syndrome.”
“That the tics are involuntary, and they are in no way reflection of what that person is thinking and their beliefs,” McClounan said. “It’s not what their intention is or what their charter’s like. It’s involuntary. It’s a neurological condition. It’s so complex to try and understand why this happens.”
She said tics affect between 10 and 30 per cent of people with Tourette syndrome.
“This is what John lives with every day of his life. It’s not just one occasion at an award ceremony. This is his life, and the backlash that he experiences throughout his life you see in the film,” she said of the film, I Swear.
“We hope that people who are reading and maybe commenting on it will also take the time to watch the film, learn about Tourette’s and understand the experiences behind those moments,” McClounan added.
Ed Palmer, vice-chair of Tourettes Action, said the BBC should have considered bleeping out the slur.
“This is really one of the most acute examples of where something that is a disability can cause quite understandably huge amounts of offence to someone,” he told Times Radio. “So, if it’s being pre-recorded now, then bleeping it out, for example, might be a reasonable compromise.”
As of this writing, Jordan and Lindo have not publicly commented on Davidson shouting the racial slur.
— With files from The Associated Press
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