The timeline of events, as I understand them. At the start of the BAFTAs, the floor manager made an announcement about John Davidson, a man with Tourette’s syndrome, and his presence as a guest of the show. The manager basically said, hey, you might hear some shouts and it’s involuntary on Davidson’s part and everyone needs to just keep it moving. Early in the BAFTA show, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage to present an award. Davidson shouted out the n-word at them on stage. Lindo and Jordan heard it, paused, and then continued with their presenting duties after they were just called the n-word in front of their colleagues. Later in the show, BAFTA host Alan Cumming came out and apologized “IF anyone was offended” and asked for compassion… for John Davidson and not the two men who were just racially abused on stage. The BBC then aired the BAFTAs (which were always on a delay) with the n-word included.
Last night, the American trade papers covered the incident straight, with little commentary. As the discourse became heated on social media, outlets like Variety and the Hollywood Reporter then called out the BAFTAs, Alan Cumming and the BBC for their gross mishandling of the situation. Then, several hours ago, the BBC apologized… for airing the n-word. That was the extent of their apology. They also removed that version of the broadcast from their iPlayer.
Throughout this whole cycle, no one has said whether anyone from the BAFTA org or Alan Cumming went over to check on Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. No one has said whether Lindo and Jordan got a personal apology, or whether they were spoken to by any higher-up at any point. Well, now Delroy Lindo is speaking out, and it turns out that no one from the BAFTAs spoke to him about that racist incident.
At Warner Brothers’s afterparty following the ceremony, Delroy Lindo told Vanity Fair that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” while presenting—but that he also wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards.”
Though the BAFTAs aired on a tape delay, the slur was nevertheless included in the broadcast—though the BBC did not air winner Akinola Davies Jr. saying “free Palestine” at the end of his speech, according to Deadline. Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler wrote on X that while the Davidson situation “is almost impossible, it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.”
Despite it all, Lindo was in good spirits at the afterparty. We spotted him chatting with his costar Wunmi Mosaku, who won the BAFTA for best supporting actress. Their Sinners castmate Jordan attended an afterparty thrown by British GQ and Vogue, albeit briefly, as he was listed as one of the event’s hosts.
Following the ceremony, BAFTA hosted a dinner for the nominees and guests—where everyone was speaking about the incident. On one hand, Davidson’s disability is the inspiration for I Swear; the film’s star, Richard Aramayo, won the BAFTA rising star award on Sunday, as well as the lead actor prize over frontrunners Timothee Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio. But even if BAFTA guests could understand why he shouted the slur, they were still disturbed by his outburst. Jordan was visibly startled when Davidson yelled from the auditorium as audience members gasped. Though guests were sensitive to everyone involved, the incident was definitely the talk of the night.
That was the vibe last night, in real time – that Lindo and Jordan’s feelings were not considered whatsoever by the BAFTA team and the BBC team. The conversation by BAFTA officials and Alan Cumming glossed over the impact on Jordan and Lindo, while centering compassion solely for John Davidson and his disability. While it doesn’t surprise me that no one from the BAFTAs spoke to Lindo and Jordan last night, it surprises me that no one in the BAFTA org has thought to speak out today, after the dust has settled. Like, I fully expected to come in this morning and find a comprehensive public apology from BAFTA to Lindo and Jordan. The fact that they’re still silent about it publicly and privately… well, the Brits are never beating the allegations.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Guests attend the EE BAFTA Film Nominees Party at the National Gallery,Image: 1077220996, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Delroy Lindo, Credit line: Phil Lewis/Wenn/Avalon
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- Guests attend the EE BAFTA Film Nominees Party at the National Gallery,Image: 1077221003, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Delroy Lindo, Credit line: Phil Lewis/Wenn/Avalon
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- Michael B. Jordan at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards, Royal Festival Hall, London, UK, 22 February 2026.,Image: 1077390737, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng/Avalon
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- Dottie Achenbach and John Davidson attends the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026 at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank in London, England, UK on Sunday 22 February, 2026.,Image: 1077651864, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/Retna/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng/Avalon
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- Celebrities arrive at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards at Royal Festival Hall, London Featuring: Murray Gladstone, Dottie Achenbach, Chris Achenbach and John Davidson Where: London, United Kingdom When: 22 Feb 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities arrive at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards at Royal Festival Hall, London Featuring: John Davidson Where: London, United Kingdom When: 22 Feb 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I am exhausted for people acting like Delroy and Jordan and everyone else had no right to be offended. BAFTA messed this up and I would have left the stage. You can still have compassion for someone’s disability, but you can’t just say hey they are disabled and you have to sit while someone is tossing out slurs. And I will still not understand why the broadcast that with that language!
Actually, Tourettes basically is just that…sitting there while someone tosses out slurs. Everyone should have understood that in advance and protected Delroy and Jordan by the very least by warning them that something like this might happen. BAFTA should have been prepared with statements in case racist or other slurs were shouted and or heard, statements which make it clear that it is unfortunate in the case of John Davidson and they in all other cases do not support this language. I feel like they let everyone down
Somehow I don’t think preparing them to be called the n word on live television would have helped. Their reaction probably would have been, “Wtf!?” It never should have happened in the first place. As I said in the other post, this can’t be the first time he has done this, especially since he did it multiple times last night whenever he saw a Black person. This can never be alright. It can never be normalized.
Exactly 💯 Baftas and BBC mishandled this entire situation yesterday. I sat at home last night watching that show and could not believe what I was hearing right at the start. Show was on a two hour delay so WHY was that broadcast at all when other things were edited out.? Why weren’t the presenters checked up on immediately and received an apology? Why no private and public apology to them and Hannah yesterday or today.? If you were offended was pathetic non apology. They wouldn’t have broadcast shouts of Andrew is nonce so why broadcast this offensive word?
Nope. Not beating the allegations. At all. It’s unbelievable. A very bad and frankly racist look for the BAFTAS, their president and the BBC.
I agree and I think Black people should boycott it going forward. This was a huge fumble on their part. They showed absolutely no regard for the people who were abused. They have a history of snubbing Black talent. Just don’t go! Stop going. Let it be an all White room – it’s what they deserve.
I am so so tired of this bullshit.
Curious, was Prince William or ‘concerned about skin color’ Kate in the audience when the slur was shouted?
The William who thought that Sinners was ‘a bit dark’? Yes he was in attendance
Pretty sure they were in the front row.
He said that?! Jesus
They were there in the audience. Wouldn’t be surprised if Scooter King had a good chuckle, seeing as how he claims to be “bored” with racism.
Yeah, so this morning I gave grace for the fact that they’re probably figuring out what to say and how to say it appropriately behind the scenes before they issued a public apology. It’s almost 24 hours later and they’re basically just like what else you want from us?
The BBC? Bafta organization? The president of BAFTA? Mr Davidson? His rep? Very much so not beating the allegations. All I can get from this is basically you just need to accept that you are lower on the list than other groups and get over it.
That’s really what it is. BlueSky posters are really going after anyone Black that is upset about this and calling them ableist that’s all I needed to see.
I was told that he only does it because his brain is telling him to say the most offensive word he knows and he can’t help it. My response is, ” So he shouts this word to everyone, even white people?” Of course, he does not. I don’t know his intent but it’s the impact that matters and far too many people are behaving as if the impact doesn’t matter.
And this is why BlueSky can kick rocks. The energy around this topic is VERY different on Threads.
@brassy rebel
I’m not excusing the horrible slurs that were shouted at those presenters and at other attendees.
The way Tourette’s works is that the words and statements that seem the most horrifying to the person with Tourette’s are what is often said. Stress makes it worse. A serious and offensive tic ramps up the anxiety in the person so much that it is sort of just snowballs.
With that said – dear god. wtf.
We can understand the disability and still work to protect people being unwillingly targeted by the individual. I’m sure the gentleman was horrified. But his feelings are not more important than those of the people being racially abused.
The bare minimum would have been to immediately check in with the presenters and to make a statement saying condemning the use of the slur. Something like –
“the BAFTAS do not support the use of racial slurs. We understand that the racial slurs were spoken by an individual with Tourette’s and that he has no control over his tics.
On behalf of both the gentleman and the BAFTAS, we would like to sincerely apologize to the gentlemen who were targeted.
We thank them for their professionalism under such duress and apologize that they were put in a situation where such stoic professionalism was needed.
We hope that this incident can lead to wider discussion regarding Tourette’s as well as the unfair burden of forgiveness and understanding that is often placed on individuals who have the victim of racial abuse and slurs.
These are nuanced and difficult topics that we hope to address in the coming days. Again, our most heartfelt apologies to the presenters.”
Like. It happened. Address it. Ignoring it only makes it all worse. That’s the most basic part of being human. Nothing is solved by ignoring it. Mistakes are just compounded.
@Starry Owl exactly. You don’t need to dehumanize Mr Davidson to also acknowledge the humanity of Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan. That there’s so many people that seem to feel like there’s only one way or another, it’s pretty telling about their socialized racism as well.
Bottom line is, they let a slur air, they had to be widely and globally condemned before apologizing and removing video of the incident, and the person that did it still hasn’t apologized for the embarrassment caused.
So, yeah never beating the allegations.
Right on, @brassyrebel – it is the impact that matters, not only to MBJ and Delroy Lindo, yes, but also to anyone watching the broadcast.
Aspiring young black artists saw and heard this word being hurled at two actors who were doing their jobs and they just had to continue on and take the abuse. It just proves that it really doesn’t matter how talented, well- respected and established you are, or how popular, your feelings will always be put last. It’s much easier for to acknowledge the humanity of the man who uttered the slur and the audience who heard it than the people it was directed at. Yes, that speaks volumes.
And I fully expect the worst takes to pour in soon that the “N ” word is not such a big deal, really, and these men are probably used to hearing it or some absolute bull like that. It’s not okay.
I’m on BlueSky…I am VERY active on it….and I posted about this 🤬 on BlueSky…
And I WISH…A 🤬 WOULD!
@Ameerah M I love being on Threads. It’s very Black woman forward since a lot of OG accounts are Black women. So the algo majority of the time will be righting wrongs. Even though white people are still trying to dismiss the harm perpetrated or explain being “othered” to Black people, many accounts by Black voices is being heard and there are white people with commonsense supporting those voices.
They’ve handled everything so badly. They knew things like this were possible but don’t seem to think it was a big deal and that’s the most disturbing thing. Leaving it in the broadcast is just a horrific, incomprehensible decision.
And exactly, yes, it’s a disability but it doesn’t excuse the fact that it was said. And no one involved seems to have had compassion for the two men on stage or the woman (Sinners costume designer) who had it shouted at her by this man outside of the venue.
Yes, I am side eyeing everyone involved for not reaching out publicly or privately to either actor. On Mr. Davidson’s, part of existing in society like everyone else is apologizing when you inflict harm, intentionally or not. BBC/BAFTA also owe both actors an apology for not managing this situation better. They SHOULD NOT just have to suck it up and take racial abuse being hurled at them, regardless of context.
Let me get this straight. We should excuse this man repeatedly saying the N-word because he suffers from Tourette’s, which last I checked doesn’t make one racist. Shame on BBC, BAFTAs & Alan Cumming for glossing over terrible and offensive incidents.
That’s been the discourse for about 24 hours.
I have Tourette’s and it’s been infuriating to watch how this man has been infantilized by people making excuses for him. He should be apologizing profusely. His disability doesn’t excuse the harm HE caused. The way people have been falling over themselves to make excuses and completely ignore how Lindo and Jordan were harmed.
Thank you.
Thanks, MrsBanjo … I really appreciate your input here.
I don’t think we should excuse him. People who are calling for that are incapable of dealing with complicated situations apparently.
Tourette’s makes people say the most terrible thing their brain can craft in that moment. The thing that would horrifying the person with Tourette’s to say.
I feel like the BAFTAS were so self satisfied with their amazing magnanimity to allow a people with Tourette’s to attend, so happy with their token points, that they completely dropped the ball.
They should have spoken extensively to the gentleman about his past tics in similar stressful situations, and what contingency plans he would like in place, offering a variety of ideas and accommodations.
Such as starting the show with a statement explaining Tourette’s. Prepared statements of apology. Not whatever non apology they limped out.
Even a sound proof booth for him to watch the show, as an option. Tourette’s is his reality and it sucks. But I can’t help but think that knowing that he had a secondary location to move to if the stress and the tics were too much would have been preemptively diffused so much of the anxiety which causes tics.
Maybe this is wrong or ableist – but after shouting a racial slur at other professionals at a work event, in front of their peers, i think he should have removed himself. Not permanently.
He should have gone to a secondary location where his tics couldn’t be heard. Taken some time, taken some deep breathes. Written an apology to the individuals he had verbally assaulted. Collected himself and really considered if he was able to continue to be in the crowd of attendees and the weight of his words. Would it happen again? Etc.
This might also be ableist but holy shit. People get furious with a baby who is crying because it’s disrupting to them. An adult struggling with a disability who had disrupted an event and verbally racially assaulted other individuals at the event has the where with all to remove himself from the situation, to both formulate an apology and to check in with himself on how he should proceed.
It absolutely sucks that he has Tourette’s. It’s a debilitating condition and can make your world and life so very small and hard. We can understand and be empathetic with him while also demanding that the BAFTAS take accountability for their complete mishandling of this whole situation and especially of their response to the individuals who were victimized.
As I said in my comment above, I HAVE TOURETTE’S. I also have coprolalia. When my tics kick in and I can’t stop saying “shit” or “fuck” it is absolutely debilitating. BUT. I remove myself from the situation immediately and I apologize profusely because it’s not anyone else’s fault that that was coming out of my mouth. Not only did he not remove himself after the FIRST time, he still has yet to apologize for the active harm he caused. He’s an adult who has agency and is capable of taking responsibility for his words, even through his disability, and he’s not done that. The onus is on him first and foremost.
It’s wild the way folks will talk over us to defend the harm others with our disability cause.
@MrsBanjo they’re speaking over you because you’re not confirming their narrative, and pointing out that this man has agency still over his actions and more importantly how he responds to his actions.
They are infantilizing him and telling people that they’re being ableist by expecting someone to still take agency for their own behavior regardless of intention and regardless of disability, which is ironic to me.
Thank you for this comment. He also apparently was saying this during the dinner? So what the heck to everyone involved. I got to wonder why that word only comes up when he sees Black people? Cause that to me is just saying his disability matters way more than the harm he’s calling when he apparently sees anyone Black.
Jordan and Lindo deserve honorary BAFTAs for acting as graciously as anybody physically could in that situation when the were both probably so angry they could have cartoon steam coming out their ears. I hope they never go back (Beachler too).
Missed opportunity for the BAFTA president to apologize to them on behalf of the organization.
But he lacks the empathy and fortitude to think on his feet and make moral decisions without a script from his team.
You forgot brains as well. Given his cluelessness, William probably laughed when it happened!
The same Bafta president who thought that Sinners was ‘a bit dark’?
Upper class Brits and their damned expectations of gratitude. I’m convinced that’s what this is about. Whenever POC are acceped into elite spaces, they are supposed to be so full of gratitude fpr being there that they are willing to accept any slur or any slight or any mistreatment. It’s the “price of acceptance” into the elite space after all. They should be “happy and grateful” to be allowed on such hallowed ground. That was the same thing that happened to Ngozi Fulani and Duchess Meghan and now Lindo and Jordan and the Sinners production designer who had the slur directed toward her as well.
This shit needs to be called out by the people in the UK. It’s horrifying. It has nothing to do with the man with the disability. It has everything to do with the BBC and BAFTA. The leadership can’t even bother with an apology for honored guests even after they completely dropped the ball on accomodating the man and his disability in a way that would be comfortable for everyone?
Someone needs to tell those hierarchy minded (racist POS) at the BBC and BAFTA that no, POC aren’t grateful to be in your presence. They were there to accept awards for their work. Those people are hateful and shameful.
This has been so disgraceful, and quite frankly it feels like huge numbers of non-POC Brits have doubled down to think that Black people “should shut up & put up”, especially when in so-called elite spaces. It’s appalling. There are other places to spend my hard earned vacation money.
Jordan and Lindo were total class acts and handled an awful situation so well. As I swear kinda points out, it’s so important to educate people on how people with tourettes live. It’s like their brain makes them say the worst possible thing at the worst possible moment. The guy can’t help doing that, that’s his everyday daily life and I don’t think we can/should ban anyone like that from public life. I’m sure he feels awful today about it, especially now that it has blown up. Jordan and Lindo have every right to feel upset about it too.
Disgusting that it was broadcast, the BBC has pre watershed rules about this so it’s crazy they let it go out. Both BBC and Bafta should have educated the audience and bleeped it. They made things worse for themselves by editing a winner saying free Palestine out of the live broadcast. So pre watershed racist word = fine. Anti genocide statement= bad
They should also have profusely apologized to Lindo and Jordan.
Same organization has never nominated Denzel
How hard would it have been for someone from BAFTA to check on Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan??? I mean, that would have taken maybe 10 minutes, tops (though maybe more time to find someone in that organization who could muster the appropriate empathy).
It’s because the BAFTA executives and most non-POC people really don’t get the impact of racist slurs. They really don’t. Unless you have lived experience or are capable of understanding that someone may experience life differently from you, you won’t get it. Bottom line, to them it’s not a big deal so it shouldn’t be to you. Even with BLM, even with DEI, even with the arts themselves opening us up to life differences, they don’t get it because it’s not happening to them. Basic human empathy 101 is seriously lacking even in people who you feel should understand. I had someone who I know has read impactful books on life experiences of immigrants and POCs tell me there’s no racism and no history of racism in Canada. I looked blankly at her and said simply, residential schools? Japanese internment camps? The exclusion act? It really shook me as this is someone I respect and consider well read and open minded and yet this was a major blind spot for her. She couldn’t understand when I told her I had to brace myself for a reaction when calling a service industry in case they reacted to my clearly ethnic name. Or saw someone’s face and whole demeanour change when they came to my front door. It didn’t happen to them so it’s not a big deal.
I think this situation shows how some British people view people of colour. People of colour will always be low in their list. I used to have a horrid and racist elderly neighbour. She was awful to most people but she really loathe me and was awful to my child even when he was a toddler she would shout at him when she saw us outside (on public footpaths). I would just usually remove ourselves from that situation and explained to my child that some people are just plain miserable and would like other people to be as miserable as them as well. When he was 3 years old, he was outside with his dad playing with a ball on the grassy field in front of our house when the old woman came out and started verbally abusing them. I went out and the neighbours next to her went out and she just escalated and started shouting to my child how he is not welcome, nobody likes him and that he should leave (he’s half South East Asian and half white). I thought my other neighbours would back me up and tell her off but they just placated her and agreed with her. I was so disappointed with them, I thought they were our friends. They said they felt they couldn’t tell her off because she’s elderly. I mean being elderly does not give one a pass for being horrible and racist. They didn’t apologise for agreeing with her and did not even check if my child was okay. So needless to say, I have not spoken to them and thank God we moved homes. Some white people here think that black and brown people should be okay with that kind of treatment. God forbid that we expect them to treat us with respect and decency. I hope Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan ignore the BAFTAS and give them the cold shoulder.
My God. What horrible people, and I can understand that the neighbours’ response to the abuse would have come as a shock to you. Your poor son! You did the right thing by cutting off those people and not speaking to them. It’s good that you were able to move.
What you have described is a daily experience for many Black Britons, with their lived experiences constantly being belittled and disbelieved, to the extent that they begin to doubt themselves and second-guess their every emotion, and condition themselves to expect no support from those they consider to be their neighbours, friends and colleagues. These same people (the abusers and their enablers) then bitch and moan when their targets “stick to one another”, or move to neighorhoods populated by people who look like them and schools which are more receptive and supportive of their children, especially of those neighbourhoods become more affluent than traditional “working class” (white) neighbourhoods. (Just look at the astonishment expressed by the tabloids each time a school with many minorities excels in national examinations, etc.). That’s when you begin to hear murmurings about how “those people” (Black lawyers, barristers, surgeons, etc.) “must” be on benefits to be able to afford the nice things they have. Rinse and repeat.
I too, hope the three people who were abused and right-minded onlookers give the BAFTAs a wide berth in the future.
I’m not surprised by this. Up until a few years ago Black people were hardly nominated for BAFTA’s. It would seem that racism in the UK is even worse than I thought because they believe people shouldn’t be offended by being called the N-word.
reform, conservatives (tories) and even labour have perpetuated that it’s okay to blame/hate on immigrants (black and brown people) that the racists are emboldened to just spew hate in public. I have often experienced micro aggression and even outright aggression from white people (i’m half Chinese) but only from adults who should know better but last year, I had secondary students harassed me, they were doing truancy and getting into mischief. I was on my way back from dropping my child off from school and these two boys just suddenly ran up to me in the guise of asking for directions. I think they were surprised that I can speak English well but even they started saying things like “ching chong ching”, “go back to where you came from”, and swearing at me. I bet they learned that from their family and sure enough the police said that the family is known to them. They didn’t know that my partner works at the secondary school where they go to and I messaged him about it and the school reported them to the police. It wasn’t the first time that they cause trouble and they escalating and racking up misbehaviour incidents. I told the police I didn’t want to pursue a legal complaint. I didn’t record them doing it but I did take photos of them to show to my partner and I didn’t want their families to cause trouble to me and my family. I really think farage, the tories and their ilk are to blame for emboldening people’s worst traits.
“John Davidson, a man with Tourette’s syndrome”
From my encounters with those afflicted with Tourette’s, they repeat a great many sounds and have word triggers.
This fellow’s repertoire should have been checked before the broadcast, specially due to a racially mixed, international crowd attending.
Also, was the television audience told about the Tourette’s fellow before the show? How was the home audience supposed to process what they heard?
Plus, why place a man who randomly shouts inside the studio? Aren’t there sound proofed booths anymore?
If Tourettes is indiscriminate and involuntary, why did he yell out the n word only when black people were center stage?
I call BS. That’s pretty specific.
An absolute affront and a disgrace all around.
The president of BAFTA is bored of racism. He’s not going to say or do anything about it.
The BBC reacted faster when the orange-buffoon-in-chief threatened to sue them for having cut tiny bits of his speech unleashing his fascist idiots on January 6th. This is sickening.