Tourette’s Advocate John Davidson Apologizes For Shouting A Racial Slur During 2026 BAFTAs: “I Am Deeply Mortified If Anyone Considers My Involuntary Tics To Be Intentional”

Tourette’s syndrome activist John Davidson has issued an apology after shouting a racial slur during the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards.

Davidson, who is the subject of the biopic I Swear which was nominated that evening, made headlines after he shouted the N-word when Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took the stage to present the award for best visual effects.

“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,” Davidson said in a statement to Deadline. “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.”

His statement also noted, “I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness, and understanding from others, and I will continue to do so. I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”

Photo: Jeff Spicer/Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

The controversial moment was included in the BBC’s pre-recorded broadcast of the ceremony that later streamed on iPlayer. The network removed it from iPlayer after the controversy.

BAFTA also released an apology, saying it “apologises unreservedly” to Jordan and Lindo. It also confirmed Davidson left the auditorium after the incident.

“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation, and we apologise to all,” BAFTA said in a statement, per Deadline. “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. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism.”

Emma McNally, CEO of Tourettes Action, defended Davidson in a statement explaining the nature of Tourettes syndrome.

“It is vital that the public understands a fundamental truth about Tourette syndrome: tics are involuntary. They are not a reflection of a person’s beliefs, intentions, or character,” she said. “People with Tourette’s can say words or phrases they do not mean, do not endorse, and feel great distress about afterwards. These symptoms are neurological, not intentional, and they are something John – like many others with Tourette’s – lives with every single day.”

I Swear is a biographical comedy based on Davidson’s life, starring Robert Aramayo as him. The film took two BAFTA awards home that evening, including a shocking Best Actor win for Aramayo.