BBC’s Oversight on Racial Slur: Could It Shape the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards?

As the BAFTA Film Awards approached, Deadline disclosed that the BBC was keen to prevent a repeat of the disarray caused by Bob Vylan’s controversial chant at the Glastonbury Festival, “death to the IDF.” However, just days later, the UK’s national broadcaster is once again dealing with a similar controversy reminiscent of the Worthy Farm incident.

The awards night, celebrated for the movies Sinners and I Swear, saw an unexpected incident that caused discomfort among those involved. Early in the evening, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo from Sinners were presenting the Best Visual Effects award when John Davidson, who is featured in the biopic I Swear and has Tourette syndrome, involuntarily shouted a racial slur. The condition, which causes uncontrollable verbal outbursts, was portrayed in the film by Robert Aramayo. Despite the disruption, Jordan and Lindo professionally continued to present the VFX award to Avatar: Fire and Ash.

According to Deadline, Davidson excused himself from the audience following the incident, but he did meet backstage with Aramayo, who won Best Leading Actor, to offer congratulations. Those close to Davidson highlighted how the incident underscored the challenging nature of his condition. Meanwhile, Hannah Beachler, the production designer for Sinners, expressed her discomfort over the episode, describing the situation as “impossible.”

The broadcast of the BAFTA Awards added to the controversy, as it aired with the inadvertent racial slur included. Although the slur was not clearly audible, the disruption was evident upon reviewing the footage with prior knowledge of what was said.

The incident was available on the BBC’s iPlayer until mid-morning the following day, almost 15 hours post-broadcast, before being removed following an apology from the BBC. The delay raises questions about the broadcaster’s response, especially in light of last year’s slow reaction to the Bob Vylan Glastonbury performance.

Insiders revealed that neither the outside broadcast team nor the audience initially heard the racial slur. It was only after the media began reporting on it and discussing it on social media that the issue came to light. Notably, a “free Palestine” statement from another winner was edited out due to time constraints, according to the BBC.

Despite insiders claiming the remark went unnoticed in the live stream, Deadline journalists present at the event reported hearing it clearly and immediately sharing it in a WhatsApp group. This discrepancy highlights a serious lapse in communication that prevented the editing of the broadcast in a timely manner.

Warner Bros., the studio responsible for Sinners, reportedly contacted BAFTA representatives right after the incident, insisting on an edit for the broadcast. Despite assurances, the issue remained unaddressed in the initial airing.

iPlayer Edit Delay

The delay in addressing the iPlayer version involved numerous discussions among the BBC, BAFTA, and other stakeholders. The protracted response has been criticized, especially considering the rapid action promised by the BBC after the Glastonbury incident.

A BBC spokesperson explained that the offensive language heard during the broadcast was unintentional and a result of Davidson’s Tourette syndrome. They apologized for not removing the content before airing and assured it would be edited out of the iPlayer version.

BAFTA also issued an apology, acknowledging the pain caused by the incident and explaining Davidson’s condition to the audience. They commended Jordan and Lindo for their professionalism and thanked Davidson for his understanding and consideration.

The incident has led to a reassessment of the BBC’s policies regarding live broadcasts, especially after the decision made post-Glastonbury to not air “high-risk” music events live. The BAFTA Film Awards demonstrated that even with a delay, sensitive issues can still slip through.