Kirk Jones, the filmmaker behind the Bafta-winning I Swear, has sharply criticised the BBC’s decision to broadcast John Davidson’s involuntary racial slur during Sunday’s ceremony.
The Tourette’s campaigner, whose life story inspired the Bafta-winning film I Swear, shouted the N-word while Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage at the Royal Festival Hall.
The moment was later aired despite the ceremony being broadcast with a two-hour delay, sparking widespread backlash and prompting apologies from both the BBC and Bafta.
Mr Jones, 61, sharply criticised the corporation’s handling of the incident, suggesting Mr Davidson had been “let down” at multiple levels.
Kirk Jones and John Davidson blamed the BBC for airing the outburst
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“I think John was let down on many, many levels,” the filmmaker told The Telegraph.
“And I think the fact that that (tic) went out for broadcast was perhaps one of the worst ways in which he was let down on the night.”
Mr Jones said he was stunned the outburst was not removed before transmission.
“I can’t believe it wasn’t very easily and very technically possible to get rid of it. I really struggle to understand that,” he said.
Kirk Jones said John Davidson was let down “on so many levels”
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He argued had the tic never made it to air, the situation could have been contained within the venue itself.
“If you just imagine for a second that that was not broadcast, then suddenly the problem was restricted to everyone in the room,” he explained.
“And Bafta could write to everyone in the room, and they [could have] said, ‘We wanted to apologise again, we understand, this, that and the other.’ They could have done that the next day to all the guests, and no one would have known that it happened… You wouldn’t have the clips.”
Guests attending the ceremony had been warned about Mr Davidson’s presence and the possibility of hearing his tics.
John Davidson, a prominent Tourette syndrome campaigner, shouted the N-word involuntarily
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GETTYA production manager briefed attendees beforehand, something Mr Jones described as a “full briefing”, prompting a lengthy standing ovation for the activist.
Mr Davidson, who also served as an executive producer on I Swear, later expressed profound regret over the incident.
In a statement released on Monday, he said he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning”.
He left the ceremony early, explaining he was “aware of the distress my tics were causing”.
Mr Davidson has since revealed he had received assurances that any offensive tics would be removed from the broadcast.
Speaking to Variety, he disclosed that he experienced around ten different offensive verbal tics during the evening, including homophobic remarks and another racial slur.
Mr Jones also reflected on the emotional toll the controversy has taken on him.
“I think it really upset him. It upsets him that he upsets other people,” the director said.
John Davidson had received assurances that any offensive tics would be removed from the broadcast
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The BBC has apologised for failing to edit the slur and removed the original programme from iPlayer, replacing it with an amended version.
Bafta has also said sorry to Mr Jordan and Mr Lindo, who were on stage at the time of the incident, stating: “We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has welcomed a fast-tracked investigation by the BBC’s executive complaints unit, saying: “Broadcasting a racial slur is completely unacceptable and harmful. The BBC must ensure that this never happens again.”
