Bafta Racial Slur Controversy: BBC and Academy Apologize
The 2026 EE Bafta Film Awards were overshadowed by controversy after a racial slur was heard during Sunday’s ceremony in London.
The word was shouted while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting an award. Both actors star in the film Sinners.
Organizers later confirmed the outburst came from John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome campaigner attending the event. They said the word was an involuntary vocal tic linked to his medical condition.
Bafta and BBC Issue Apologies
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) apologized for the incident, calling the language “offensive” and acknowledging the pain it may have caused.
Bafta also thanked Jordan and Lindo for their “dignity and professionalism” during the moment.
The BBC, whi...