Tourette's campaigner John Davidson: 'Microphone was in front of me - BBC should've cut racial slurs'

Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson has said he expected the BBC to do more to cut out racial slurs he shouted at the Bafta Film Awards on Sunday night, claiming he was sat in front of a microphone.

The 54-year-old could be heard shouting as Sinners actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan presented the award for special visual effects during the ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Davidson, whose condition involves involuntary tics, said he also shouted around ten different offensive words on the night, but that media coverage has given the impression that the N-word was the only one.

He said that as his coprolalia, which causes involuntary swearing and inappropriate language, came out, “my stomach just dropped”.

Speaking to Variety, he questioned why he was sitting so close to a microphone when the BBC was aware of his condition, and why more was not done to edit out the slur.

“I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past, and feel that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette’s and worked harder to prevent anything that I said — which, after all, was some 40 rows back from the stage — from being included in the broadcast”, he said.

“As I reflect on the auditorium, I remember there was a microphone just in front of me, and with hindsight I have to question whether this was wise, so close to where I was seated, knowing I would tic.

“I had an expectation that the BBC would physically control the sound at the awards on Sunday. I was so far from the stage. From the lack of response from the early presenters to my tics, and with no one turning around to look at me, I assumed, like everyone else, that I could not be heard on the stage.”

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with actor Jamie Foxx calling the outburst “unacceptable” and claiming the words were intentional.

He wrote on Instagram: “Out of all the words, you could’ve said Tourette’s makes you say that?”

“Nah he meant that s**t.”

Variety reported that Davidson has reached out to Warner Bros in order to apologise directly to Jordan, Lindo and Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler, who also heard a racial slur.

Davidson has said the negative response shows the importance of people understanding more about the complex neurological condition, for which there is no cure.

“Sometimes you feel like you are making real progress in educating people on the condition, but there is so much more needed”, he said.

“Comments following the BAFTAs where people have said things like, ‘I need to stay inside, I wouldn’t say these things unless I thought them’, and ‘I am racist deep down’ are deeply upsetting for me, and show there is still so much to do.

“I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe. It’s an involuntary neurological misfire. My tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values.

“I have been physically beaten to within an inch of my life with an iron bar after ticking a comment to a young woman whose boyfriend and accomplice ambushed me one evening.

“The real challenge isn’t the tics themselves, but the misconceptions surrounding them. Understanding the full range of Tourette’s helps reduce stigma and supports everyone living with the condition.

“When socially unacceptable words come out, the guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress. I can’t begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in.”

The BBC said that another racial slur was edited out of the Bafta’s coverage since it was broadcast, but the one that was heard was aired in error.

In a statement on Monday, Bafta said it acknowledged the “harm this has caused, address what happened and apologise to all”.

“Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologise unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted,” a spokesperson said.

“We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism.”