Wunmi Mosaku, the Bafta-winning star of Sinners, has admitted to being kept “awake at night” after the BBC failed to censor a racial slur at the awards.
Ms Mosaku was in attendance at the London ceremony last month when Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson involuntarily shouted the n-word at her fellow Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
Mr Lindo similarly addressed the incident for the first time this past weekend, thanking fans for their support at the NAACP Image Awards.
Now, speaking on the red carpet of the Actor Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Ms Mosaku told US TV show Entertainment Tonight how the incident impacted her and how she felt about Mr Davidson.
Wunmi Mosaku won a Bafta for her role in Sinners
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“I was there and it was painful to have that celebration kind of really tainted for," she said.
Clarifying that her ire isn't directed towards the Tourette's campaigner, she added: “I have no hard feelings towards John Davidson at all.
"He has a condition. I feel like Bafta has a lot of lessons to learn."
Ms Mosaku continued to say she found it “exploitative and performative to have someone there without the full protection of everyone, including him and anyone in that audience”, and added that there would have been children present.
Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting a Bafta at the time of one of the outbursts | GETTYMs Mosaku then put the BBC in the firing line. “That’s one thing, and then the BBC is a whole other thing," she commented.
“That’s the bit that really kind of kept me awake at night and brought tears to my eyes.
“I was like, you really chose to keep that in? I can’t understand it, and I’m not sure if I can forgive it.”
The BBC has apologised and its Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) has said it will complete a “fast-tracked investigation” into the incident.
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John Davidson's involuntary verbal tics were audible in the broadcast
| GETTYThe Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS) has also written to outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie “seeking an explanation” for how a racial slur ended up in the broadcast despite a two-hour time delay.
Scottish campaigner Mr Davidson was at the Baftas representing the film I Swear, which tells the story of the Scottish campaigner’s life with the condition, which he developed when he was 12.
He has described feeling “mortified” by what happened and in an interview with Variety, and said the BBC should have “worked harder” to ensure his racial slur was not broadcast.
Mr Davidson also questioned the BBC's decision to position microphones near his seat, and claimed he was assured any offensive tics would be edited out of the broadcast.
Wunmi Mosaku with her Sinners co-stars | PAMeanwhile, Mr Lindo said he appreciates “all of the support and love” he has received while on stage at the NAACP Image Awards in California on Saturday, which celebrates outstanding achievements and performances of black and minority ethnic people in the arts.
He told the audience: “We appreciate – I appreciate – all of the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend, it means a lot to us.
The BBC has launched an investigation into the incident
| PA“It is an honour to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who have shown us such incredible support.
“And it’s a classic case of something that could’ve been very negative becoming very positive. Thank you so much for the support."