LONDON — Scottish Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, whose life is chronicled in the film I Swear, became a focal point at the 79th British Academy Film Awards after several involuntary vocal tics, including a racial slur, were audible during the ceremony and in the BBC’s delayed broadcast, prompting widespread criticism on social media and from entertainment figures.
Davidson, 54, an advocate for awareness of the neurological condition marked by involuntary motor and vocal tics known as Tourette’s syndrome, was attending the BAFTAs Sunday at London’s Royal Festival Hall as a guest linked to I Swear, a 2025 biographical drama about his life that received multiple nominations and won awards.
During the presentation of the Best Visual Effects award by actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, Davidson was recorded shouting the N-word, an incident that quickly circulated on social platforms and drew immediate attention. Earlier in the ceremony he had been heard making other audible comments, which organisers and host Alan Cumming attributed to his condition.
Cumming addressed the audience live, explaining that Tourette’s could include sudden verbal outbursts and apologised “if anyone was offended,” while also thanking attendees for their understanding of the disability. The BBC, which broadcast the ceremony on a two-hour delay, later issued an apology for not editing out the offensive language and removed the programme from BBC iPlayer to re-edit the segment.
Reactions to the broadcast were sharply divided. Actor Jamie Foxx called the slur “unacceptable,” while Wendell Pierce criticised what he described as insufficient apologies to the Black actors affected by the incident. Production designer Hannah Beachler and commentators on social media also condemned the handling of the situation and the phrasing of the initial apology, arguing that stronger editorial oversight was necessary.
Advocates for disability awareness reiterated that vocal tics, including coprolalia — the involuntary utterance of taboo or offensive words seen in a minority of people with Tourette’s — are not deliberate expressions of bias. Ed Palmer of the charity Tourettes Action suggested that future prerecorded broadcasts consider methods like bleeping to manage similar occurrences.
I Swear went on to garner accolades at the ceremony, with actor Robert Aramayo winning Best Leading Actor and the EE Rising Star award, reflecting the film’s critical success independent of the controversy.
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Hannah Price is a digital journalist who covers breaking news, global events, and trending stories with accuracy and speed. She has previously contributed to several online magazines and has built a reputation for verifying facts before publishing. Hannah believes in responsible reporting and aims to present stories in a way that readers can trust.
