John Davidson blasts BBC over ‘shocking’ apology handling after Baftas slur row: 'That says it all!'

Lydia Davies
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:29:20 +0000

John Davidson has condemned the BBC over its handling of an apology following an internal investigation that found the broadcaster breached editorial standards during its 2026 Baftas coverage.

Mr Davidson, 56, said a written apology intended for him was delivered via a third party, adding to his distress over the incident.

“The stress and upset I have had to endure has been shocking,” he told The Record.

“I have only had a written apology passed on to me by a third party. That says it all really, does it not?”

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The campaigner declined to comment further but made clear he believes the corporation has yet to grasp the personal impact of its actions.

The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) found that the inclusion of a racial slur in the broadcast was “highly offensive” and lacked any editorial justification, although it accepted the incident was unintentional.

According to the report, the offensive language should have been removed from the iPlayer version once the ceremony ended.

However, confusion among production staff over whether the slur was audible caused a delay of several hours.

The ECU described this as “a serious mistake”, noting there could be no certainty the word would be inaudible to viewers.

A second instance of the same slur, which occurred around 10 minutes later, was identified and removed promptly in line with standard procedures.

Mr Davidson had attended the London ceremony to celebrate I Swear, a film based on his experiences living with Tourette’s, a condition that can trigger involuntary and sometimes offensive language.

Despite the BBC airing the ceremony on a two-hour delay, with the programme edited down from three hours, his outburst was still broadcast, sparking widespread criticism.

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The Sinners cast and production team were highly critical of the incident, with Wunmi Mosaku saying the Bafta win was “tainted” and the broadcast decision “hard to forgive”.

Delroy Lindo, who was presenting an award at a time the slur was shouted out, said the situation was poorly handled and wished Bafta had addressed the cast directly, while Hannah Beachler criticised the “throwaway” apology and revealed the slur was directed at her.

Warner Bros also raised concerns, saying they alerted organisers during the ceremony and questioned why the footage was not edited before broadcast.

However, many came to Mr Davidson's defence.

I Swear main actor Robert Aramayo stressed the slur was a “tic, not a shout of obscenity”, while Tourette’s advocates highlighted the distinction between intent and involuntary impulse.

Charities, including Tourette's Action and Tourette Scotland, said the outburst was not a reflection of beliefs or character, describing tics as entirely involuntary.

Others, including actor Corey Farwell and host Alan Cumming, urged understanding, emphasising that such incidents stem from a neurological condition rather than from deliberate offence.

The Scottish Tourette's campaigner said the BBC should have anticipated the risk, given their previous work together.

“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 said.

The BBC defended its approach, saying it had attempted to contact Davidson as quickly as possible.

A BBC Spokesperson said: “The BBC was keen to get our apology to Mr Davidson as quickly as possible following the BAFTA’s. Unfortunately, we did not have contact details for Mr Davidson so we asked a mutual contact to pass our letter on.”

The broadcaster also confirmed that written apologies were sent to actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan, who were presenting when the incident occurred.

At the time, then director-general Tim Davie said the BBC “profoundly regrets” the incident, describing it as “a genuine mistake” that “should never have been broadcast".

Mr Davidson, from Galashiels, was awarded an MBE in 2019 for his work supporting the Tourette’s community.