What's Inside?
- John Davidson’s involuntary racial slur at the BAFTAs was broadcast despite a two hour delay, prompting official apologies and investigations.
- Davidson insists his tics do not reflect his beliefs and says he expected profanity to be edited out of the programme.
- The incident renewed public debate about Tourette syndrome, coprolalia and how live events should handle neurological conditions responsibly.
John Davidson became the focus of global headlines after an incident at the 79th BAFTA Film Awards placed him at the centre of a painful cultural moment. The Scottish campaigner, whose life inspired the film I Swear, involuntarily shouted a racial slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. The outburst, linked to his Tourette syndrome, was broadcast to millions despite a delay. In the days that followed, apologies, investigations and fierce debate reshaped what should have been a celebratory night.
As scrutiny intensified, Davidson spoke publicly about the distress he feels and the safeguards he believed were in place. His story has forced audiences to confront a complex reality: how neurological conditions intersect with live television, public perception and deep social wounds. Here is what to know about the man, the controversy and the condition at the heart of it.
Who Is John Davidson?
John Davidson is a 54-year-old Scottish Tourette’s activist who has spent decades raising awareness about the neurological condition. As a teenager, he featured in the BBC documentary John’s Not Mad, which introduced viewers to the daily realities of severe tics. Over time, he became a public advocate, speaking about stigma, violence and isolation.
His life later inspired the BAFTA-nominated film I Swear, in which actor Robert Aramayo portrayed him. Davidson has long described the harsh consequences of living with coprolalia, a form of Tourette syndrome that involves involuntary obscene language. He once recalled being “physically beaten to within an inch of my life with an iron bar” after a tic was misinterpreted. Such experiences shaped his campaign for empathy and understanding.
John Davidson Questions the BAFTA Awards Broadcast
Delroy Lindo says him and Michael B. Jordan did “what we had to do” to continue presenting at the BAFTAs after John Davidson shouted the N-word in an involuntary tic.
He said he wishes “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards.”
(Source: https://t.co/CetXlW2PDv) pic.twitter.com/QM425fPt2M
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 23, 2026
The controversy erupted during the BAFTAs at London’s Royal Festival Hall when Davidson involuntarily used the N word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo stood on stage. The broadcast aired despite a two-hour delay. Both the BBC and BAFTA later apologised and launched reviews.
Davidson insists he expected profanity to be removed. He told Variety,
“StudioCanal were working closely with BAFTA, and BAFTA had made us all aware that any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast. I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past, and feel that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette’s and worked harder to prevent anything that I said — which, after all, was some 40 rows back from the stage — from being included in the broadcast.”
He also questioned seating arrangements near a microphone, saying,
“As I reflect on the auditorium, I remember there was a microphone just in front of me. With hindsight I have to question whether this was wise, so close to where I was seated, knowing I would tic.”
Did John Davidson Call Out Anyone Else with Offensive Remarks?
Yes. Davidson later revealed he shouted ten offensive phrases that evening. Some were triggered by remarks made on stage. Referring to host Alan Cumming’s joke about Paddington Bear, Davidson explained to Variety:
“This resulted in homophobic tics from me and led to a shout of ‘paedophile’ that was likely triggered because Paddington Bear is a children’s character.”
He stressed that his tics do not reflect belief. “What you hear me shouting is the last thing in the world I believe; it is the opposite of what I believe. The most offensive word that I ticked at the ceremony, for example, is a word I would never use and would completely condemn if I did not have Tourette’s.”
John Davidson’s Biggest Incidents
Davidson’s history includes other high-profile episodes. When receiving his MBE in 2019, he infamously shouted an expletive about the Queen due to coprolalia. He has also described yelling about a bomb during a security search and punching his adoptive mother during a severe tic episode (per Daily Mail).
After the BAFTAs, he said,
“When socially unacceptable words come out, the guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress. I can’t begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in.”
He has since contacted the studio behind Sinners to apologise directly to those affected.
What Is Tourette’s Syndrome?
According to Mayo Clinic, Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder marked by repetitive movements and unwanted sounds known as tics. Symptoms usually begin in childhood, often around age six. Males are more commonly affected than females.
Tics may be simple, such as blinking or throat clearing, or complex, involving coordinated movements and vocalisations. Coprolalia affects a minority of people with the condition, yet it dominates public perception. As advocates often note, involuntary words can cause harm, but they do not represent intent.
