Key Takeaways
- BAFTA issued a formal apology after an attendee’s involuntary outburst was heard while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented at the BAFTAs.
- The organization said it takes “full responsibility” and acknowledged the impact on those onstage and in attendance.
- John Davidson later addressed the incident, reiterating that his Tourette’s tics are involuntary and not reflective of personal beliefs.
BAFTA has formally apologized to Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. The statement followed ongoing backlash over an attendee’s outbursts at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards.
On Monday (Feb. 23), the organization acknowledged the “very offensive language” uttered unintentionally by guest John Davidson while the Sinners actors were presenting onstage. “Tourette syndrome causes involuntary verbal tics that the individual has no control over. Such tics are in no way a reflection of an individual’s beliefs and are not intentional,” BAFTA wrote.
The association added that it had taken “measures to make those in attendance aware of the tics” before and during the event itself. “Early in the ceremony, a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people in the room,” the statement read, referring to Davidson shouting the N-word. “Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted.”
Already upsetting on its own, the BBC also failed to censor the slur despite a two-hour delay between the ceremony and the final broadcast. It’s not immediately clear what Davidson says upon first listen, but many viewers — and now the internet at large — were able to make it out upon replay. Watch the footage below.
BAFTA takes “full responsibility” for the incident
BAFTA later thanked Jordan and Lindo for “their incredible dignity and professionalism” following the incident. The actors notably chose not to escalate the situation, instead maintaining their composure and continuing to present the award to Avatar: Fire and Ash.
As REVOLT previously reported, Lindo said that he and his co-star “did what [they] had to do” in the moment. The Crooklyn actor added that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to [them] afterwards.” Instead, he and Jordan received an apology nearly half a day after the final broadcast aired.
“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation, and we apologise to all,” the organization shared. “We will learn from this and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”
John Davidson addresses his BAFTA outbursts after the ceremony
Davidson voluntarily left the auditorium to watch the ceremony from a screen. “We would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him,” the organization added. The Scotsman, who also inspired the Outstanding British Film-nominated I Swear, later released a statement of his own.
“I wanted to thank BAFTA and everyone involved in the awards last night for their support and understanding and inviting me to attend the broadcast,” he said, according to Variety. “I appreciated the announcement to the auditorium in advance of the recording, warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs. I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me.”
Davidson didn’t directly apologize to Jordan and Lindo — or to Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler, who said one of his tics was directed at her. He did, however, reiterate that the tics were beyond his control. He added, “In addition to the announcement by Alan Cumming, the BBC and BAFTA, I can only add that I am and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”