The 2026 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards ceremony, held on February 22, was briefly interrupted when Michael B. Jordan was onstage with Delroy Lindo. The two were about to present the award for best visual effects, when a guest shouted the ‘N’ word, leaving both stars visibly frozen for a brief moment.
After delivering the introductory speech, Jordan welcomed the guests. The Black Panther actor then stated that they would be presenting the first award of the night – best visual effects – which plays a crucial role in filmmaking. However, he was interrupted when someone from the crowd shouted the offensive slur at him.
So Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindon were giving an award at the BAFTA Awards and were called the n-word by a “Tourette’s syndrome activist John Davidson”
So Tourette’s causes racism now? @tariqnasheed pic.twitter.com/BAFyVMjPMT
Link:https://t.co/XywY2LkVZP pic.twitter.com/RcDTSaeZOh
— FlameAlchemist🇺🇸 (@FocusedJustice) February 22, 2026
After a brief pause, Jordan’s co-presenter Lindo resumed proceedings and said, “We’re here to celebrate the artists who expand what’s possible on screen.” The racist insult was reportedly shouted by John Davidson, a Tourette’s syndrome activist. As per Variety, Alan Cumming, the host of the award show, had to step in and issue an explanation to the guests.
Cumming said that the “strong language” people heard were uttered by a person suffering from Tourette’s syndrome. He added that the biographical film, I Swear, explores and sheds light on how difficult life can be for a person experiencing this disability.
The use of the racial slur seemingly distressed the audience, which included Prince William and Princess Catherine. Cumming then expressed his gratitude to the audience for “understanding” and creating a respectful space for the guests attending the show.
Davidson had a number of outbursts during the show as he shouted profanities during the introductory speech from Sara Putt, BAFTA chair. Moreover, he also directed an expletive at Lakshmipriya Devi, the director of Boong, when she accepted her BAFTA award on the stage.
An insider told the media house that Davidson was an “invited guest” and could not be asked to leave the ceremony.
Can we talk about the professionalism of Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo? 🎤
They didn’t miss a beat when involuntary shouts interrupted their presentation for Best Visual Effects. It was a powerful example of the “respectful space” the Academy aimed for this year. https://t.co/gONDoMdvir
— We Amplify! (@Amplifiers01) February 23, 2026
According to a report from NBC News, a BBC spokesperson attributed the language outbursts to an uncontrollable condition of the nervous system as a result of Tourette’s syndrome. This forces a person to “make sudden and repeated twitches, movements or sounds, called ‘tics’.”
The spokesperson addressed the incident at the BAFTA Film Awards 2026 and said, “This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologize for any offence caused by the language heard.”
Later during the award ceremony, Cumming made another statement regarding the disability. He said, “We apologize if you are offended tonight.”
The condition gained widespread attention after Robert Aramayo won the BAFTA best actor award for his role in I Swear, which depicted Davidson’s struggles and helped raise public awareness.
