During the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were presenting the award for Best Visual Effects when an incident involving a racial slur occurred. John Davidson, diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and attending the ceremony as the subject of the nominated biopic “I Swear,” shouted the N-word during the presentation. Davidson also made several other outbursts throughout the event, including phrases that were audible during speeches and award acceptances.
Speaking at a BAFTA after-party, Lindo expressed his wish that BAFTA representatives had spoken to them following the incident. He noted that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” in response to the disruption. BAFTA has been contacted for comment on the matter.
The film “I Swear” portrays Davidson and his experience living with Tourette syndrome, which can cause involuntary vocal tics. Robert Aramayo, who portrays Davidson in the film, won the Best Actor award at the ceremony. Despite some warnings issued by floor managers to guests near Davidson about his condition, sources indicate that nominees and attendees were not forewarned about the nature of the possible outbursts.
BAFTA host Alan Cumming addressed the situation during the ceremony, acknowledging the strong language and explaining that such outbursts can be part of Tourette’s syndrome for some individuals. He thanked the audience for their understanding and urged the creation of a respectful environment. Cumming also emphasized that the language was involuntary and apologized to anyone who might have been offended.
The broadcast of the ceremony later that evening on the BBC included the slur, which prompted criticism and led to the BBC issuing an apology for not editing it out prior to airing. The BBC subsequently removed the segment containing the slur from the version available on its iPlayer streaming service. A BBC spokesperson stated that the language was related to involuntary tics associated with Tourette syndrome and reiterated their regret for the oversight.
The incident at the 2026 BAFTA Awards has sparked discussions around accessibility, the handling of disability-related conditions at public events, and sensitivities related to offensive language in live and recorded broadcasts. BAFTA and the BBC have faced calls for clearer communication and improved procedures to prevent similar occurrences in future ceremonies.