Oh, BAFTA! What was supposed to be a glamorous night of glitz and glamour at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards turned into an unexpected storm of controversy. During the awards on Sunday, John Davidson, a Tourette’s syndrome campaigner, accidentally shouted some offensive words, including the N-word, while Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the Best Visual Effects award to ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. The crowd froze. The cameras caught it all. And yes, it made it to TV.
Davidson’s involuntary outburst was caused by his condition, but the impact was immediate. Many viewers were shocked, and the incident quickly trended online.
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BAFTA steps in
On Monday, BAFTA released a statement that made it clear they were taking responsibility. “We put our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all,” the statement read. They offered a heartfelt apology to Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo, praising their “incredible dignity and professionalism.”
BAFTA also thanked Davidson for leaving the ceremony voluntarily calling it a gesture of “dignity and consideration of others on what should have been a night of celebration for him.”
During the live event, host Alan Cumming attempted to smooth things over. He thanked the audience for their “understanding” of Davidson’s disability and apologised to anyone who might have been offended.
But not everyone thought this was enough. Hannah Beachler, production designer of ‘Sinners’, later called the line “throwaway” on X, suggesting it didn’t address the gravity of what happened.
BBC under fire
The drama didn’t stop there. The BBC aired the awards on a two-hour delay but failed to edit out Davidson’s racial slur.
Viewers who watched on BBC iPlayer were understandably upset. By Monday morning, the ceremony had been removed from iPlayer.
The BBC issued an apology admitting they should have taken steps to edit out the offensive content.