The 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), held on Sunday at London’s Royal Festival Hall, brought together some of the biggest names in global cinema. However, the evening was briefly disrupted when nominee John Davidson, who lives with Tourette’s syndrome, involuntarily used offensive language during the ceremony.
Davidson, who was seated in the auditorium, had his verbal tics picked up by microphones, which were also audible during the BBC’s live broadcast. The unexpected interruptions caused momentary pauses and visible confusion among presenters and award recipients on stage.
During the early part of the ceremony, as BAFTA chair Sara Putt addressed the audience, Davidson shouted phrases including “boring” and an expletive. Later, while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the award for Best Visual Effects, Davidson dropped the N-bomb, which was heard from the auditorium. On both occasions, those on stage appeared momentarily taken aback.
Host Alan Cumming paused the ceremony twice to address the situation. Speaking to the audience, he noted that viewers may have heard some strong language during the broadcast. He thanked attendees for their understanding and emphasised the importance of maintaining a respectful environment.
Cumming explained that the words were not intentional but were the result of Davidson’s Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological condition that can cause involuntary verbal and physical tics. At one point during the evening, Davidson left the auditorium.
John Davidson is the subject of the film ‘I Swear’, in which he is portrayed by Robert Aramayo. Aramayo went on to win the Rising Star Award for his performance. Davidson has long been open about living with Tourette’s syndrome and has worked to raise awareness of the condition. In 2018, he was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for his advocacy.
Despite the brief disruption, the ceremony continued smoothly. Paul Thomas Anderson’s political thriller ‘One Battle After Another’ dominated the evening, winning six awards including Best Picture. Horror drama ‘Sinners’ secured prizes for Ryan Coogler’s original screenplay, the film’s musical score and Wunmi Mosaku’s supporting actress performance.
Indian film ‘Boong’ also made history by winning in the Best Children’s and Family Film category.
