When Delroy Lindo stepped onto the stage at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards alongside Michael B. Jordan, the night was meant to celebrate film. Instead, it delivered one of the ceremony’s most uncomfortable moments. Speaking afterward at a BAFTA after-party, Lindo said he and his Sinners co-star “did what we had to do” when the N-word was shouted from the audience as they presented Best Visual Effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash. What lingered for him, though, was what came next.
“I wish someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards,” Lindo said.
According to Variety, the slur was shouted by John Davidson, who has been diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. Davidson attended the ceremony as the subject of the nominated biopic “I Swear.” The film’s lead actor, Robert Aramayo, won the BAFTA for Best Actor for portraying him.
Throughout the ceremony, several of Davidson’s vocal tics were audible. Variety reported that he shouted “shut the f— up” during an introductory speech by BAFTA chair Sara Putt and “f— you” during another award acceptance before the slur was heard while Lindo and Jordan were onstage.
Respect to these two beautiful men. Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo deserve the same amount of respect and grace to have to endure what they have during a major award show. I care about their mental health also. pic.twitter.com/aq4KCxZyul
— Ayanna P. (@AyannaPrescod) February 23, 2026
Apparently, floor managers warned guests seated near Davidson about his condition, though nominees and presenters were not contacted in advance by BAFTA or the BBC. Host Alan Cumming addressed the room during the live show.
“You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience,” Cumming said. “Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”
Later in the ceremony, he added, “Tourette’s Syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight.”
Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations known as tics. These can include sudden sounds, words or phrases spoken without intent or control. In some cases, though not all, vocal tics may involve socially inappropriate or offensive language. Medical experts emphasize that such outbursts are not deliberate and do not reflect the individual’s beliefs.
Asking for more grace for the person who shouted a racist slur instead of for Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, who had to push through being embarrassed in front of their peers.
But that’s often the expectation — that Black people are just supposed to be ok with being… https://t.co/MqHbC8XwsA
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 23, 2026
Aramayo defended Davidson after the ceremony, telling reporters that “they are tics” and “not shouting obscenities.” He added, “If it can lead to a deeper understanding of Tourette’s, and movies are part of that conversation, then it’s an incredible thing.”
The incident drew further scrutiny after the BAFTAs aired later that night on a tape delay on the BBC, with the slur still audible in the broadcast. The BBC later apologized and removed the word from the version streaming on iPlayer.
In a statement, the broadcaster said, “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”
Lindo has not elaborated publicly beyond his brief remarks, and BAFTA has not issued a direct response to his comments. Onstage, the two actors kept their composure. The envelope was opened. The winner was announced. The applause followed.
Later, reflecting on the moment, Lindo summed it up simply, “We did what we had to do.”
