BBC apologises for ‘any offence caused’ by involuntary Tourette’s slur during Baftas

‘This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and was not intentional,’ said the broadcaster in a statement

The BBC has issued an apology after a racial slur, shouted by an audience member with Tourette syndrome, was broadcast during the Baftas.

The incident occurred on Sunday (22 February) at London’s Royal Festival Hall as actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan presented the award for Special Visual Effects.

A spokesperson for the BBC stated: “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 was not intentional. We apologise for any offence caused by the language heard.”

In a follow-up apology, they added that the ceremony had been removed from iPlayer, and would be re-added without the slur.

During the broadcast, presenter Alan Cumming also addressed the issue, explaining the nature of Tourette syndrome.

He said: “You may have heard some strong and offensive language tonight. If you have seen the film I Swear, you will know that the film is about the experience of a person with Tourette syndrome. Tourette 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 apologise if you were offended.”

The film I Swear, which stars Robert Aramayo and chronicles the life of Scottish Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, saw Aramayo win Best Actor and the EE Rising Star award. The film also won the award for Best Casting.

At other points during the ceremony, Mr Davidson could be heard shouting words such as “boring” and “f***”, with many of these interruptions audible by TV viewers.

Delroy Lindo was on stage when the slur was shouted (PA Wire)

One incident saw Mr Davidson shout the n-word while Sinners stars Jordan and Lindo were on stage presenting an award, which prompted Cumming to apologise and thank the audience for their understanding.

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Mr Davidson exited the venue after the racial slur, but returned to celebrate Aramayo’s Best Actor win.

Speaking on Times Radio, Ed Palmer, vice-chair of Tourettes Action, said the BBC should have considered bleeping out the comment. He said: “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.

“So, if it’s being pre-recorded now, then bleeping it out, for example, might be a reasonable compromise. But I think it has to be taken on a case-by-case kind of decision and scenario.”

He said he was “very, very mindful of the people that would have quite understandably been hugely offended by whatever word was said, or an offensive word that’s used by somebody with tics and Tourette’s”, adding that he thought it was “important to show compassion, and understand that it is involuntary”.

“Causing offence is often very distressing to people who have this condition,” Mr Palmer said.

A spokesperson for the charity urged the public to understand that tics are involuntary and “not a reflection of a person’s beliefs, intentions or character”.

“People with Tourette’s can say words or phrases they do not mean, do not endorse and feel great distress about afterwards,” they said. “These symptoms are neurological, not intentional, and they are something John [Davidson] – like many others with Tourette’s – lives with every single day.”

Activist John Davidson with Bafta-winning actor Robert Aramayo, who plays him in ‘I Swear’ (Getty)

They described the “backlash” to the incident as “deeply saddening” and said Mr Davidson had decided to leave the ceremony early. He returned to celebrate Aramayo’s win for Best Actor.

Mr Davidson is a vocal ambassador for people with Tourette’s, and was awarded an MBE in 2019 for his work educating the UK about the disability since he first exhibited symptoms as a teenager. His struggle was documented in the 1989 BBC documentary John’s Not Mad.

While those at the event were informed about Mr Davidson’s Tourette syndrome by a compere ahead of the broadcast, this warning did not make it into the broadcast, leaving viewers at home initially confused by the disturbances.

Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition characterised by motor and vocal “tics”, such as coughs, twitches, and even fully articulated phrases. A small number of people with Tourette’s also experience something called coprolalia, which involves involuntary cursing or making socially inappropriate remarks.

The words are not chosen for meaning in the moment. The person who says them usually experiences the outbursts as unwanted and distressing. Researchers classify this as a complex vocal tic, not as intentional speech. It is not a conscious decision to say the words.

Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo heard the racial slur while presenting an award at the Baftas (BBC)

Elsewhere in the ceremony, director Ryan Coogler made history as the first Black winner of the Bafta for Best Original Screenplay for his film Sinners, which also earned awards for Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku and Best Original Score.

Bafta, the charity Tourette Scotland, Lindo and Jordan have all been approached for comment regarding the incident.

Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler criticised the handling of the situation, stating that an “impossible situation” was made far worse by Cumming’s “throw-away apology”.

She wrote on X after the event: “I keep trying to write about what happened at the BAFTAs, and I can’t find the words. 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.

“And a third time at a Black woman. 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’ at the end of the show.”

Additional reporting by agencies