It’s awards season again. That means we’re in for another few weeks of gawking at celebrities on red carpets, controversies involving celebrities, and discourse over said controversies that invites everyone to weigh in. I hope you’re ready. Case in point: February 22 at the 2026 BAFTA British Academy Film Awards, the UK’s analogue and precursor to the Oscars in Hollywood. Things got off to a distressing start when Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delory Lindo took the stage, and, from the audience, there was an audible outburst of the N-word.
The source of the slur was John Davidson, a prominent Scottish activist living with Tourette’s syndrome. (Those living with Tourette’s prefer the term “condition” to describe their disorder, not “disability.”) Davidson was present at the BAFTAs for I Swear, a biopic of his life starring Robert Aramayo, who won Best Actor in a Leading Role later that night. After the incident, host Alan Cumming acknowledged it at the podium with a brief apology to anyone “in case you were offended.” Many were offended, with social media condemning the outburst as well as the BAFTAs for its brief statement via Cumming.
No racism should be excused. Full stop. But there should also be a better understanding of Davidson and his Tourette’s, which is often misconstrued as a swearing disorder (and usually for giggles, like in Deuce Bigalow). Medically speaking, Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder involving involuntary tics. Severe forms of the condition like coprolalia, which Davidson possesses, are evident through uttering obscene language and slurs without their control.
The National Institute of Health explains on its website that tics “may worsen with excitement or anxiety” and that symptoms are “unwanted and unintentional.” Additionally, suppressing tics can lead to an opposite result. Says the NIH: “People with TS often report a substantial buildup in tension when suppressing their tics to the point where they feel that the tic must be expressed (against their will).”
Naturally, people were mad a slur with deep historical baggage was thrown at two prominent Black artists, however involuntarily. Initial reaction on social media was deafening; some lament that once again Black people must exhibit grace for others, while others insist Tourette’s masks a person’s true feelings. (It does not.) Others expressed disappointment in the formal apologies, which they felt were insufficient.
Since the event, many TikTok creators with Tourette’s—including Black creators—have shared their own feelings. @sh4ysgrm, who has one million followers on the platform, carefully explained that Tourette’s is not evidence of anyone’s inner feelings. “Is it a disappointing thing that it happened in public in front of that entire crowd?” sh4ysgrm said. “Yes, it is a very unfortunate situation. But it’s something that we can’t control.”
Statements have been issued by both the BAFTAs and by Davidson via a Variety interview. BAFTA’s apology said it informed everyone in attendance about Davidson’s condition. “We took measures to make those in attendance aware of the tics, announcing to the audience before the ceremony began, and throughout, that John was in the room and that they may hear strong language, involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony,” wrote BAFTA. The statement contained an apology to Michael B. Jordan and Delory Lindo specifically. They also thanked Davidson, who left the auditorium afterward. “[We] would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him,” they said.
In his Variety interview, Davidson said he has reached out to Warner Bros., the studio behind Sinners, to make contact with Lindo, Jordan, and production designer Hannah Bleacher (who was also present) to apologize to them personally. He also explained the nuances of his condition and his actual feelings that night at the awards.
“I have almost no ability to suppress, and when the situation is stressful, I have absolutely no choice but to tic—it simply bursts out of me like a gunshot,” he said. He added that his tics, including the slur, “have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe” and called them “an involuntary neurological misfire.” He also said that it was not the only slur he uttered that night. He also shouted “pedophile” after Alan Cumming made a joke about sleeping with Paddington Bear.
“I felt a wave of shame and embarrassment hit me all at once,” he added. “You want the floor to swallow you up. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to hide—just get away from all the eyes.”
The irony is that this event occurred because of I Swear, the acclaimed drama about Davidson’s struggles with Tourette’s syndrome. (It is loosely adapted from the 1989 documentary John’s Not Mad.) The movie unambiguously explores Davidson’s lifelong hardship from saying things he does not mean or feel, and the ramifications of people’s misunderstanding. The movie currently has a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes; in a review by Film Stories, critic Simon Brew praises I Swear as “the kind of film that could change someone’s life.”
“I was hoping people would understand,” Davidson told Variety, noting that a microphone was placed in front of him for reasons that escape him, but that swearing would be cut from the broadcast. “My mind was saying: These people have seen the film. They will know I can’t help this. They will know it’s not me. This is exactly why we are here. I was saying in my head, ‘Please don’t judge me. Please understand this isn’t who I am.'”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.esquire.com ’
