The BBC has pulled its coverage of the Bafta Film Awards from iPlayer following a failure to remove a racial slur from the tape-delayed broadcast.
John Davidson, a prominent Tourette syndrome campaigner, shouted the N-word involuntarily from the audience during Sunday evening’s ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
The corporation’s broadcast operated with a two-hour delay before transmission on BBC One, a buffer specifically designed to allow editors to catch and excise such material.
Despite this safeguard, the offensive language remained in the coverage when it aired.
John Davidson, a prominent Tourette syndrome campaigner, shouted the N-word involuntarily from the audience during Sunday evening’s ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall
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GETTYMr Davidson, who experiences involuntary vocal tics as a result of his condition, is the subject of the forthcoming biopic I Swear.
The broadcaster has since apologised for the incident.
A spokesperson said: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards 2026.
“This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette’s syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologise for any offence caused by the language heard.”
Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting a Bafta at the time of one of the outbursts | GETTYThe slur occurred as actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took to the stage to present the award for Best Visual Effects, which was claimed by Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Though the remark was difficult to hear clearly against the background noise of the ceremony, it was nonetheless captured in the BBC’s broadcast.
Production designer Hannah Beachler, who worked on Sinners, stated that she too experienced Mr Davidson’s involuntary racial slurs during the event, describing it as an “impossible situation” made worse by what she termed a “throw-away apology.”
Host Alan Cumming also offered an apology during the ceremony itself, acknowledging that the BAFTA audience “may have noticed” the “strong language” and expressing regret if “anyone was offended.”
John Davidson experiences involuntary vocal tics as a result of his condition
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At one point during proceedings, Mr Davidson left the auditorium, though it remains unclear whether he subsequently returned to his seat.
The interruptions appeared to cease following his departure.
The BBC has been asked why the comment was not removed from the broadcast, particularly as producers had reportedly made preparations for Davidson’s attendance.
The stream remained accessible on iPlayer throughout most of Monday morning before finally being taken down at approximately 11:30 am.
It was then replaced with a message indicating the episode would be “available soon.”
The incident echoes a controversy from last summer when the corporation broadcast a Glastonbury Festival performance by punk rap duo Bob Vylan, during which the band led the crowd in a “Death to the IDF” chant on a live iPlayer stream.
That footage stayed online for more than five hours before removal, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to demand answers from the broadcaster.
The incident echoes a controversy from last summer when the corporation broadcast a Glastonbury Festival performance by punk rap duo Bob Vylan
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GETTYThe fallout led the BBC to revise its livestreaming protocols.
Notably, the BBC and production company Penny Lane TV did edit a winner’s speech in which Akinola Davies Jr. said the words “free Palestine.”
