Tourette’s campaigner ‘deeply mortified’ after racial slur at BAFTAs

A Tourette’s campaigner who yelled out a racial slur at the BAFTAs has spoken out about the incident, saying he is “deeply mortified”.

John Davidson MBE was attending the awards ceremony after inspiring the film, I Swear, which dramatises his life with severe Tourette syndrome.

The condition is characterised by sudden, involuntary, repetitive sounds or movements, known as tics, which cause Davidson to call out inappropriate words.

That’s what happened at the BAFTAs, when he called out a racial slur while two black actors, Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo, were on stage presenting the first award of the night.

Now Davidson has spoken out about the incident, saying that he is “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning”.

He also praised the BAFTA organisers for notifying the audience about his tics beforehand and clarifying that they do not reflect his 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,” he said.

In the aftermath of Davidson’s shout, the two actors on stage appeared to pause momentarily before continuing with the presentation.

Davidson said he then chose to leave the ceremony early because “I was aware of the distress my tics were causing”.

The host, Alan Cumming, subsequently acknowledged the interruption and explained again about Tourette’s.

In a statement, BAFTA said the slur was a source of “incomparable trauma and pain for so many” and apologised for putting its guests in a “very difficult situation”.

The academy’s statement said: “Early in the ceremony a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people in the room.

“Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologise unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism.

“During the ceremony, John chose to leave the auditorium and watch the rest of the ceremony from a screen, and we would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him.

“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all.

“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.”