The 79th BAFTA Film Awards were significantly marred by a controversy revealing profound institutional failures by BAFTA and the BBC. During the ceremony, host Alan Cumming paused to address audible outbursts from Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson, whose lived experience inspired the BAFTA-nominated film “I Swear.” One particularly offensive outburst, which occurred while “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage, included the N-word. Cumming acknowledged the “strong language,” explaining it as a manifestation of Tourette syndrome, a condition Davidson lives with, which can involve involuntary vocal tics.

However, the primary failure rested with the broadcasting institutions. Despite being a tape-delayed broadcast, BAFTA and the BBC allowed the racial slur to air unfiltered and then permitted the moment to circulate as a decontextualized clip, which fueled outrage. This decision stood in stark contrast to their handling of other content; Akinola Davies Jr.’s mention of “Free Palestine” during his acceptance speech for “My Father’s Shadow” was reportedly cut, and the word “piss” in Paul Thomas Anderson’s speech for “One Battle After Another” was bleeped for social media and entirely removed from YouTube clips. A BBC spokesperson later apologized, stating the offensive language arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome and was not intentional, yet the incident highlighted a clear double standard in content moderation.

The controversy carried a devastating impact on multiple fronts. For Black artists like Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, hearing the N-word—a brutal slur tied to enslavement, violence, and dehumanization—in such a public setting, followed by its broadcast and weaponization as a meme, inflicted immense harm. The author, identifying as a Black and Puerto Rican man, underscored that the lack of intent from the source does not erase the profound pain and historical trauma invoked by the word. Concurrently, the careless management of involuntary behavior exposed John Davidson and, by extension, the broader Tourette’s community, to a wave of backlash and misunderstanding, deepening feelings of isolation and shame for individuals with disabilities.

It is vital to understand that coprolalia, the involuntary, tic-like outburst of obscene or socially inappropriate words and phrases, affects only a minority of individuals with Tourette syndrome and is not a conscious choice or an intentional endorsement; it is a neurological event. While floor managers reportedly warned guests around Davidson about his condition prior to the ceremony, multiple sources confirmed that BAFTA or the BBC did not contact nominees or attendees with any specific warnings, highlighting a significant lapse in proactive communication and preparation.

The responsibility for this harm does not lie with John Davidson, Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, or the discomforted audience. It squarely falls on BAFTA and the BBC. A tape delay offered ample opportunities to mute the audio, edit the segment, or make a real-time decision prioritizing harm reduction. Their failure to do so allowed the slur to propagate online, shorn of explanation and susceptible to misuse. The irony is particularly crushing that “I Swear,” a film intended to foster understanding about Tourette’s, became inextricably linked to a viral controversy that amplified misunderstanding.

The path forward demands institutional accountability and improvement. Awards shows employ producers and compliance teams precisely because live television is unpredictable. When unpredictability intersects with race, disability, and trauma, thorough preparation is paramount. This incident underscores that disability advocacy and racial history are not competing values but coexisting obligations that demand both empathy and reverence. Institutions must commit to editing responsibly, preparing thoughtfully, protecting proactively, and educating consistently, ensuring that all individuals—including Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, John Davidson, the Tourette’s community, and Black people—are afforded the dignity, understanding, and protection they rightfully deserve.