BAFTAs Tourette’s controversy explained: BBC apologizes as Jamie Foxx speaks out

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This weekend’s BAFTA ceremony was disrupted when John Davidson, an activist with Tourette’s syndrome, unexpectedly shouted offensive language. The BBC has issued an apology, and actor Jamie Foxx has commented on the incident.

Alan Cumming, known for his roles in Marvel films, hosted the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, February 22nd. The event, held at London’s Royal Festival Hall, honored outstanding films released in 2025 from both the UK and around the world.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, and Emma Stone were among the stars at the event, where films like Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Frankenstein were celebrated.

Robert Aramayo won Best Actor for his role as John Davidson in the movie I Swear. The film tells the true story of Davidson’s life and the challenges he’s overcome while living with Tourette’s syndrome.

BAFTAs 2026 Tourette’s controversy explained

Pete Davidson attended the 2026 BAFTAs and repeatedly shouted during the ceremony. Witnesses reported he used a racial slur, including the n-word, while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award.

During the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards on February 22nd, John Davidson, an activist who has Tourette’s syndrome, shouted a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting. The show’s host, Alan Cumming, responded by asking the audience to be understanding of the situation.

— Jer Bear (@JerBear) February 23, 2026

According to The Hollywood Reporter, John Davidson received a supportive reception at the event. Before it started, guests and hosts were informed that Davidson has Tourette’s syndrome and may experience involuntary sounds or movements.

About 25 minutes into the show, shortly after the disagreement between Jordan and Lindo, Davidson walked off. Before leaving, he had also used profanity, yelling “Bullsht” and “Shut the fck up”.

Alan Cumming, the host of the event, explained that Tourette syndrome is a disability and the verbal tics people may have heard are involuntary – meaning those with the condition can’t control what they say.

“We apologize if you are offended tonight.”

Robert Aramayo also spoke about the situation, explaining to the BBC that these involuntary movements – what are known as tics – are happening, and it’s important to remember that understanding Tourette’s is something we all share responsibility for.

“It’s not shouting obscenities, it’s not being abusive – it’s Tourette’s and they’re tics.”

Hannah Beachler, the production designer for ‘Sinners,’ believes that Cumming’s statement actually complicated the situation and she’s shared more details about what led to it.

She shared on X that she’s struggling to describe an upsetting experience that happened at the BAFTAs. She said the same thing happened to her multiple times that night—including once to her personally as she was heading to dinner after the awards show—and it felt surreal.

This is the third time something like this has happened to a Black woman. I completely understand why this is so difficult, and I know we need to navigate this with sensitivity and keep moving forward. However, the situation was made even more frustrating by the dismissive apology offered at the end – saying ‘if you were offended’ felt insincere and minimized the issue.

At the conclusion of the show, we were understandably upset. However, we’re not letting it bother us – we’re focused on maintaining a positive outlook. It didn’t affect me personally, and it won’t diminish my work or who I am as an artist.

— HannahBeachler (@HannahEBeachler) February 23, 2026

We were definitely upset, but we’re not letting this negativity affect us. It didn’t really bother me; I’m able to rise above it. This situation doesn’t change who I am as an artist or diminish my work.

Okay, so this whole thing has really blown up online, and honestly, a lot of the anger seems to be directed at the BBC. People are upset that they didn’t remove some really offensive language from the broadcast, even though it wasn’t live. It’s frustrating because they did cut out other things, like people shouting about Palestine, so it feels like a weird inconsistency and people are questioning why that specific language wasn’t dealt with too.

The event happened in the afternoon and was then shown on BBC television at 7pm. An extended, uncut version was available to stream on BBC iPlayer throughout the night.

Kemi Badenoch, a Conservative leader, stated on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that a comment should have been censored. She explained she was informed that other instances – people shouting “Free Palestine” – were censored, making the omission a significant mistake.

The BBC clearly messed up, and it seems the two actors involved were probably the most embarrassed, as they were likely unaware of what was happening.

BBC apologizes for broadcasting slurs

Okay, so the BBC messed up big time at the 2026 BAFTAs – they let some really offensive language slip through the broadcast. They’ve officially apologized and pulled the original, unedited version from iPlayer. Right now, they’re actually reporting on the apology itself, so it’s all over the news.

The broadcaster acknowledged today, February 23rd, that some viewers may have heard inappropriate language during the BAFTA Film Awards.

The unexpected sounds heard during the broadcast were caused by involuntary verbal tics related to Tourette syndrome, and were not intentional. We’re sorry this wasn’t removed before airing, and the affected version has now been taken down from BBC iPlayer.

According to The Guardian, the ceremony’s editors were reportedly working from a truck and didn’t notice the offensive remark.

Jamie Foxx sparks controversy 

Following the public discussion, Jamie Foxx responded to a post about the situation, calling Pete Davidson’s comments “unacceptable” and confirming he believed Davidson meant what he said.

Jamie Foxx is now receiving criticism for his recent statements, as people are responding to his latest Instagram post—which congratulated Ryan Coogler on winning a BAFTA award—with disapproval.

One person told Jamie to learn more about Tourette’s syndrome, while another pointed out that a movie about Tourette’s already exists – and it was even critically acclaimed, winning several BAFTA awards.

Someone else mentioned that Jamie Foxx was told John Davidson actually swore at the Queen when she gave him his MBE in 2019, and suggested people watch the movie before reacting.

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A post shared by Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx)

Someone else added, “Jamie, it would be helpful if you learned more about Tourette syndrome. It’s a condition that causes people to make sounds or movements without being able to stop themselves. John specifically has a type called coprolalia, which causes him to say unintentionally offensive words.”

His opinions aren’t really his own; they’re a result of his condition. I recommend watching his movie to learn more about what he’s going through. He’s a genuinely kind person.

Viewers ask for nuance 

There’s a lot of disagreement online about what’s happening, and many people are calling for a more thoughtful discussion. The moderators of the popculturechat subreddit even commented on a news article about Jamie Foxx, specifically requesting people consider all sides of the issue.

Okay, so everyone’s been really fired up about this, and honestly, it’s a super messy situation. There aren’t any simple fixes or clear-cut right answers, it’s just… complicated. As a player, it’s frustrating when things aren’t straightforward, but I get that sometimes that’s just how it is.

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition affecting the nervous system, and for some people, it causes them to make sounds or say things without meaning to. It’s important to remember that while this is happening, racial slurs are deeply hurtful and damaging to anyone who hears them.

“Both things can be true at once, and that is what has made this situation so deeply complicated.

It’s natural to have mixed emotions – like feeling confused, sad, uneasy, or even mad. Just remember that when someone with a disability does something that bothers you, it’s rarely meant to be harmful or done on purpose.

Let’s avoid ganging up on anyone, harassing others, or making fun of disability or the harm caused by racist language. Please keep conversations respectful, considerate, and assume everyone is genuinely trying to learn and understand, rather than simply trying to be right.

Pop culture often presents complicated situations without easy answers, and this is one of them. Let’s be kind and understanding as we discuss it.

Someone else shared that they were upset seeing comments on the subreddit suggesting John shouldn’t have been invited to the event.

As a Black individual, I recognize the pain and harm that word causes within my community, and I believe we need to be able to talk about this with sensitivity. Those actors, and any Black person present, shouldn’t have been exposed to that language. It’s important to understand that the speaker didn’t mean to use the slur intentionally.

Jamie Foxx Says Tourette’s Activist Saying N-Word During BAFTAs ‘Meant’ It
byu/runswithscissors475 inpopculturechat

It’s important to consider this from multiple perspectives. I personally struggle with a stammer that intensifies when I’m stressed. While it’s different from Tourette’s, I can relate to the feeling of losing control over your speech and worrying about how others will react or exclude you because of it.

That situation must have been incredibly embarrassing for everyone. John deserves some understanding, and it’s important to consider the circumstances.

I remember seeing a film a decade ago about a teacher with Tourette’s syndrome. It really helped me come to terms with my own differences by showing the struggles he faced. Understanding, not judgment, is what’s needed – please take the time to learn more about conditions like this.

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2026-02-23 19:51