&34;Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted,&34; said a statement from the organization. BAFTA says it tried to warn audience of potential Tourette's outbursts containing offensive language before show &34;Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted,&34; said a statement from the organization. :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/JoeyNolfiauthorphotoba4923fec03a4027868306485696ef41.jpg) Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at .
"Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted," said a statement from the organization.
BAFTA says it tried to warn audience of potential Tourette's outbursts containing offensive language before show
"Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted," said a statement from the organization.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Joey-Nolfi-author-photo-ba4923fec03a4027868306485696ef41.jpg)
Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.
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February 23, 2026 3:56 p.m. ET
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Alan Cumming and John Davidson at 2026 BAFTAs. Credit:
Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty; Jeff Spicer/Getty
As fallout continues after attendee John Davidson's use of profanity and slurs (due to his Tourette's syndrome) at Sunday's 2026 BAFTA Awards, the European-based awards body has released an official statement addressing the controversy.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts issued comment Monday, less than 24 hours after Davidson — whose life with the disorder inspired the 2025 BAFTA-nominated scripted film *I Swear* — made headlines for shouting the N-word at *Sinners* actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo amid shouting other expletives during the live telecast.
The organization claims that personnel at the ceremony attempted to warn attendees of potentially offensive language that might come from Davidson as a result of his condition.
"At the BAFTA Film Awards last night our guests heard very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many. We want to acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened, and apologize to all," says a statement obtained by **.
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Michael B. Jordan at 2026 BAFTAs.
Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty
It continues, pointing out that Davidson has Tourette's, a condition described by the Mayo Clinic as "a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can't be easily controlled." This can include words that the patient logically knows are offensive, but can't control saying when a tic arises.
Davidson has "devoted his life to educating and campaigning for better understanding of this condition," the BAFTA statement says, stressing that the condition "causes involuntary verbal tics, that the individual has no control over. Such tics are in no way a reflection of an individual's beliefs and are not intentional."
The organization states, "We take the duty of care to all our guests very seriously and start from a position of inclusion. We took measures to make those in attendance aware of the tics, announcing to the audience before the ceremony began, and throughout, that John was in the room and that they may hear strong language, involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony."
Tourette's activist John Davidson speaks out after saying N-word at BAFTA Awards
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Delroy Lindo calls out BAFTA response to N-word controversy at awards show
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"Early in the ceremony a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people in the room," the statement continues. "Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism."
The group also indicates that Davidson "chose to leave the auditorium and watch the rest of the ceremony from a screen," though he could also be heard at the show yelling in the background while an animation of film character Paddington appeared on stage to present an award for children's and family films.**
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'Sinners' star Delroy Lindo at the 2026 BAFTA Awards.
Gareth Cattermole/BAFTA/Getty
BAFTA's statement finishes by acknowledging, "We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologize to all. We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy."
The 2026 BAFTAs host, Alan Cumming, initially took the stage and asked for "understanding" amid Davidson's words, which he told the crowd might've led to hearing "some strong language in the background" of the presentation, and asked them for "understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone," per *Variety*.
According to the outlet, the *Traitors* Emmy winner eventually advised that, "Tourette's syndrome is a disability and the tics you've heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette's syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight."**
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Michael B. Jordan, John Davidson, and Delroy Lindo at 2026 BAFTAs.
Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty; Aurore Marechal/BAFTA/Getty (2)
The TV network BBC also apologized for not editing the incidents out of the broadcast, and said it would remove them from subsequent reproductions.
Lindo spoke out against the BAFTAs' reported initial reaction, claiming that no one from the organization approached him or Jordan over the incident on Sunday night. He told *Vanity Fair* at a Warner Brothers' after-party that he and his costar Jordan "did what we had to do" while presenting in the moment, and that he wishes "someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards."
*Sinners* production designer and Oscar-winning creative Hannah Beachler also spoke out against Cumming's on-stage acknowledgement, calling the words a "throw away apology."
***Check out more from EW's *The Awardist*, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best in TV, movies, and more.***
Davidson released a statement addressing his words, saying that he's "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning."
He added, "I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette's community and to teach empathy, kindness, and understanding from others, and I will continue to do so. I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing."**
EW has reached out to representatives for Davidson, Cumming, Jordan, and Lindo for comment.
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Published: 2026-02-23T21:00:35Z on Source: PRIME TIME
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&34;Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those ...