Man With Tourette’s Shouts Obscenities and Racial Slur at BAFTAs — Hollywood Divided in Outrage

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The BAFTA Film Awards are under increased criticism after a man with Tourette’s syndrome unexpectedly shouted a racial slur during the live broadcast.

The event has caused a lot of discussion in Hollywood, with some people feeling sorry for the individual involved and others strongly disapproving of how it was dealt with during the show.

During the BAFTA awards show, John Davidson, a campaigner with Tourette’s syndrome, repeatedly interrupted the ceremony. One instance, which was broadcast despite a delay, included him shouting a racial slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting. BAFTA host Alan Cumming addressed the disruption live, and the incident later sparked discussion and reactions from people across the film industry online.

What Happened During the Ceremony

Okay, so things got really awkward at the BAFTAs. Apparently, John Davidson – the guy I Swear, that nominated film, is about – started yelling a bunch of stuff from the audience. It wasn’t just random shouting either; reports say he actually used a racial slur while Jordan Peele and Key were up there presenting the visual effects award. It was a really jarring moment, honestly, and completely overshadowed the category.

Host Alan Cumming addressed the situation twice on stage.

Cumming addressed viewers, explaining that strong language heard in the background was a manifestation of Tourette’s syndrome for some individuals, and he thanked them for being understanding and helping to maintain a respectful environment.

He later explained that Tourette’s Syndrome is a disability, and the sudden tics you may have heard are involuntary movements and sounds – meaning the person experiencing them can’t control them. He apologized if anyone was offended.

Before the event even started, one of the organizers let us know that Pete Davidson has Tourette’s Syndrome. They just wanted to give us a heads-up that he might make some unexpected sounds or movements during the ceremony, and asked for our understanding.

Even though the show was broadcast a bit later in the U.K. and the U.S., the scene wasn’t cut from the episode.

Hannah Beachler Says Apology “Made It Worse”

Hannah Beachler, the Production Designer for Sinners and an Academy Award nominee, shared her thoughts on X (formerly Twitter) after the ceremony.

Beachler explained she’s been struggling to put into words what occurred at the BAFTAs. She described a frustrating situation that happened not once, but three times during the evening, including one instance directed at her personally as she was heading to dinner after the ceremony.

This is the third time a Black woman has faced this issue. I understand why it’s so difficult and know we need to navigate it with sensitivity and perseverance. However, the situation was made worse by the dismissive apology, phrased as ‘if you were offended,’ which felt insincere.

— HannahBeachler (@HannahEBeachler) February 23, 2026

She later criticized the wording of the on-air response from Cumming.

She explained that the dismissive apology – “if you were offended” – at the end of the show actually made things worse. She stated that, naturally, they were offended, but their perspective and energy were on a higher plane than the negativity displayed. She emphasized that the incident didn’t affect her deeply, and wouldn’t diminish her identity as an artist.

The report also states that Beachler mentioned a third incident that evening, this time targeting another Black woman.

Online Reaction Intensifies

The news quickly went viral on social media, and people began sharing their opinions and analysis.

Tourette’s means no filter, which means this man thought it. Despicable.

The BAFTAs out here making fools of themselves and the entertainment industry.

— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) February 23, 2026

I saw this really frustrating post by film critic Grace Randolph on X. She was reacting to something that happened at the BAFTAs, and she basically said that someone’s outburst, which they claimed was due to Tourette’s, revealed truly awful thoughts they were actually having. She was really upset that the BAFTAs and the whole entertainment industry were making themselves look ridiculous by not addressing it properly.

A note was later added to the post to clarify that the words spoken by someone with coprolalia don’t necessarily represent their actual thoughts or beliefs.

Randolph followed up with more comments, stating that it was “outrageous and shameful” for the BAFTAs to put Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo in that situation, regardless of how Tourette’s syndrome manifests.

I certainly want Mr Davidson who has Tourette’s to have a nice life…

But that ANYONE

I support Jordan and Lindo for bravely facing their colleagues and the public on television, even while being subjected to a racist insult. It took courage to handle that situation in a professional environment.

IS RIDICULOUS

— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) February 23, 2026

She also stated that while she wishes Mr. Davidson, who has Tourette’s, well, she finds it absurd that anyone would support Jordan and Lindo being publicly confronted with a racial slur on television in a professional environment.

Awards Night Continues Amid Controversy

Even though things were a bit chaotic, I Swear actually did really well at the awards show! I was so thrilled to see Robert Aramayo win for his performance as Davidson – he absolutely deserved it.

As of now, the BAFTAs haven’t released any further official comments about the offensive language used, other than what was said during the live show.

The controversy surrounding the incident at the BAFTAs is still being widely discussed both within the film and television industry and on social media, as people continue to share their reactions and opinions about what happened and how it was addressed.

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2026-02-23 16:58