Bafta is understood to have alerted the BBC to John Davidson’s involuntary racial slur on the night of Sunday’s Film Awards, raising fresh questions about how the remark still made it into the final broadcast despite a two-hour delay.
Five days on from the Royal Festival Hall ceremony, further details have emerged about what was said behind the scenes in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The controversy began when Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson shouted the N-word during a pause as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the Best Visual Effects award.
A source familiar with the situation told Deadline a Bafta representative informed both the BBC and producers at Penny Lane TV about the slur shortly after it happened.
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John Davidson experiences involuntary vocal tics as a result of his condition | GETTY“The BBC knew what happened,” the source said.
Bafta’s position is once the alarm was raised, responsibility lay with the broadcaster to ensure the ceremony, recorded on a time delay specifically to allow compliance edits, adhered to UK rules on offensive language.
The BBC has since launched a fast-tracked editorial review into what it has described as a “serious mistake”.
A spokesman said: “The BBC has been reviewing what happened at BAFTA on Sunday evening.
The Labour Culture Secretary said there have been 'too many incidents of this kind'
| PA"This was a serious mistake and the director-general has instructed the Executive Complaints Unit to complete a fast-tracked investigation and provide a full response to complainants.”
Sources at the BBC and Penny Lane TV have indicated the slur was not heard in the outside broadcast truck and was therefore missed before transmission.
BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips confirmed a second racial slur was removed from the tape, but the one heard during Mr Jordan and Mr Lindo’s presentation “was aired in error and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast".
Further scrutiny surrounds the BBC’s handling of the programme on iPlayer.
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Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting a Bafta at the time of one of the outbursts | GETTYBafta is understood to have repeatedly asked the corporation on Monday morning to remove the ceremony from the streaming platform once it became clear the slur was audible.
The programme remained online for several hours.
The controversy has also triggered fierce debate beyond the broadcast itself.
GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry publicly defended Mr Davidson after Jamie Foxx suggested online that the campaigner “meant” the slur.
Writing on X, Michelle said: “I can not believe the amount of people abusing John Davidson today. What happened was deeply unfortunate and of course I know many people have been upset by it, which is regrettable.
"But... It clearly wasn’t deliberate, nor intended nor could it be controlled."
She continued: "I really hope John is ok. What happened was I imagine, his worst nightmare and I’d bet he feels terrible about it today.
"Shame on all of you sticking the boot in to a disabled man. Most of you of course from the ‘be kind’ brigade (when we all know, you are anything but)."
John Davidson was invited to this year's Baftas | PAGB News contributor Darren Grimes also came to Mr Davidson’s defence, calling it “incredible” critics were attempting to “cancel a disabled bloke for doing something entirely out of his control”.
Meanwhile, the People's Channel comedian and presenter Leo Kearse pushed back at critics, including Narinder Kaur, arguing Western society should make reasonable accommodations for disabilities and warning against what he described as a social media “pile-on”.
Mr Davidson has expressed deep distress over the incident, telling Variety: “I can't begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in.”
He added: “I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe. It’s an involuntary neurological misfire. My tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has also intervened, stating: “Broadcasting a racial slur is completely unacceptable and harmful. The BBC must ensure that this never happens again.”
She also said there have been "too many incidents of this kind".
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