Tourette’s activist John Davidson has reached out to apologize after BAFTAs controversy

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John Davidson, a Tourette’s syndrome activist, has apologized to Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, and Hannah Beachler after a tic caused him to unintentionally use a racial slur while they were presenting at the 2026 BAFTAs.

I was at the awards show because the movie about my life, ‘I Swear,’ got nominated for a bunch of stuff – six awards, actually! They were up for Outstanding British Film, Best Original Screenplay, and even Best Actor. It was awesome to see Robert Aramayo, who played me in the film, actually win Best Actor! Seriously cool.

This activist has dedicated much of his life to raising awareness about Tourette’s syndrome, and the film explores the negative reactions and mistreatment he’s experienced because of it. He also lives with coprolalia, a symptom that causes him to unintentionally utter offensive and hurtful language.

After using a racial slur at the BAFTAs, Davidson faced online backlash and discussed the incident in a detailed interview.

John Davidson says he “ticked perhaps 10 different offensive words” at the BAFTAS

Pete Davidson told Variety he’s apologized to Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, and Hannah Beachler after using a racial slur onstage at the BAFTAs. His team confirmed he contacted Warner Bros. to express his apologies to them.

He shared how deeply upset he was, explaining that his involuntary tics during the ceremony had no connection to his thoughts, feelings, or beliefs. He emphasized that the tics were a neurological issue, and that this wasn’t the first time it had happened during the event.

Davidson asked for reports about the awards show incident to clarify that he reacted to around ten offensive words that were said. He specifically mentioned using the n-word as one of them, and stated he understands how hurtful and problematic that word is, both historically and today. He was frustrated that many news articles were making it seem like he only said one offensive word during the event.

As a fan, I was really disappointed to hear that the BAFTAs told this activist they’d edit out any swearing for the BBC broadcast. He pointed out that it seemed a bit strange to do that right near where he was sitting, especially knowing he has tics. It felt like a really insensitive move, honestly.

Davidson left the awards ceremony about 25 minutes in, explaining he didn’t want to cause further disruption and chose to watch the rest from a private room. He also expressed his disappointment with the negative reaction, stating it highlights how much more education is needed about Tourette’s syndrome.

Davidson explained that even negative reactions highlight how important it is for people to watch the film and learn about this very complicated brain disorder.

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2026-02-25 14:51