Last night’s BAFTA Film Awards had a controversial moment when John Davidson, a campaigner for Tourette’s, shouted offensive language during the ceremony.
The outburst included a racial slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting an award. Other tics heard included “shut the fk up” and “fk you.”
Davidson, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s in his teens, is the inspiration behind the film I Swear. His condition causes involuntary tics, which can sometimes include swearing, a rare symptom called coprolalia.
Actor Jamie Foxx criticised the incident on social media, calling it “unacceptable” despite acknowledging Davidson’s condition. He said: “Out of all the words, you could’ve said, Tourette’s makes you say that… unacceptable.”
Robert Aramayo, who plays Davidson in I Swear, defended him after winning BAFTA awards for Best Actor and Rising Star. Aramayo said the tics were involuntary and urged the public to understand the condition.
Host Alan Cumming paused during the ceremony to explain the situation, noting that Tourette’s can cause sudden outbursts. He thanked the audience for helping maintain a respectful space.
The BBC, which broadcast the awards on a delay, issued an apology for airing the offensive language and said it will edit it from BBC iPlayer. Davidson reportedly left the ceremony on his own after the outbursts.
Experts note that only about one in ten people with Tourette’s experience coprolalia, and the words spoken do not reflect the person’s beliefs or opinions.
Davidson’s story has been followed since his youth in the 1989 BBC documentary John’s Not Mad. He has since campaigned for Tourette’s awareness and was awarded an MBE in 2019 for his work.Jamie Foxx Slams BAFTA Moment After Racial Slur Shouted on Live TV
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