The BBC has ordered an expedited internal investigation following a “serious error” that saw a racial slur broadcast during the BAFTA Awards in London.
John Davidson, a Tourette’s campaigner whose condition inspired one of the ceremony’s winning films, has said he is “deeply mortified” after shouting the N-word while presenting the award for special visual effects alongside actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan. Davidson explained the outburst was an “involuntary tic” linked to his condition.
The broadcaster confirmed the slur aired despite a two-hour delay between filming and transmission and remained accessible on its streaming platform, iPlayer, until the following morning.
“The BBC has been reviewing the events of Sunday evening’s BAFTA ceremony,” the organisation said in a statement. “This was a serious mistake. Director-General Tim Davie has instructed the Executive Complaints Unit to fast-track an investigation and deliver a full response to complainants.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy welcomed the inquiry, calling the broadcast “completely unacceptable and harmful” and emphasising that the BBC must prevent such incidents from happening again.
The incident adds to recent controversies for the broadcaster. In June 2025, the BBC faced criticism for failing to halt a live-streamed Glastonbury performance by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, whose frontman led the crowd in an anti-Israel chant. The BBC subsequently announced it would avoid live-broadcasting performances considered “high risk.”
Sources indicate that Warner Bros raised concerns immediately after the BAFTA ceremony and requested the removal of the slur from the broadcast, but the words were still audible when the awards aired two hours later.
Davidson told Variety magazine that the BBC should have anticipated such occurrences given his previous collaborations with the network. “I have made four documentaries with the BBC and feel they should have been aware of what to expect from someone with Tourette’s. More effort should have been made to prevent my words from appearing in the broadcast,” he said.
The BAFTA incident comes amid wider challenges for the BBC. Tim Davie, the Director-General, is set to leave his role in April after resigning in November over editorial decisions regarding a documentary on former US President Donald Trump.
Trump is pursuing a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, claiming the edited Panorama segment misrepresented his January 6, 2021 speech, making it appear he directly urged supporters to attack the US Capitol.
