The &34;I Swear&34; subject noted that his tics &34;are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs.&34; Tourette's activist John Davidson speaks out after saying racial slur at BAFTAs: 'Deeply mortified' The &34;I Swear&34; subject noted that his tics &34;are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs.&34; By Shania Russell :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ShaniaRussellauthorphoto5934b684845d480caa4485648c39ef2b.jpg) Shania Russell Shania Russell is a news writer at , with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

The "I Swear" subject noted that his tics "are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs."

Tourette's activist John Davidson speaks out after saying racial slur at BAFTAs: 'Deeply mortified'

The "I Swear" subject noted that his tics "are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs."

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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February 23, 2026 3:38 p.m. ET

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Michael B. Jordan, John Davidson, and Delroy Lindo attend the 2026 BAFTA Awards. Credit:

Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty; Aurore Marechal/BAFTA/Getty (2)

Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson is breaking his silence after making headlines for shouting a racial slur at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards,

Davidson, whose life inspired the BAFTA-winning film *I Swear*, is in the news after inadvertently yelling the N-word while *Sinners* stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award during the first half of Sunday's ceremony. In a statement addressing the incident on Monday, Davidson reiterated that his verbal tics and uncontrollable swearing, which are symptoms of Tourette's, are involuntary.

"I wanted to thank BAFTA and everyone involved in the awards last night for their support and understanding and inviting me to attend the broadcast," Davidson began in a statement to Deadline. "I appreciated the announcement to the auditorium in advance of the recording, warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs. I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me."

Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo present at the BAFTAs.

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

Davidson went on to state that he is and always has been "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning."

He continued, "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."

Davidson additionally noted that he "chose to leave the auditorium early" of his own volition in acknowledgement of "the distress my tics were causing."

** has reached out to representatives for Davidson for comment.

Prior to the start of the ceremony, the event's stage manager introduced Davidson to the audience and alerted attendees that they might hear some "involuntary noises or movements" during the ceremony. Later, after audience members and those on stage reacted to the racial slur with shock, host Alan Cumming addressed Davidson's outbursts and apologized "if you are offended tonight."

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Davidson's Monday statement was accompanied by a statement from CEO of Tourettes Action Emma McNally, who wrote, "We deeply understand that these words can cause hurt but at the same time, it is vital that the public understands a fundamental truth about Tourette syndrome: tics are involuntary. They are not a reflection of a person's beliefs, intentions, or character."

McNally continued, "People with Tourette's can say words or phrases they do not mean, do not endorse, and feel great distress about afterwards. These symptoms are neurological, not intentional, and they are something John – like many others with Tourette's – lives with every single day… We hope that those commenting will take the time to watch the film, learn about Tourette's, and understand the experiences behind moments like these. Education is key, and compassion makes a world of difference."

John Davidson and Robert Aramayo, who plays Davidson in 'I Swear'.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Fans and stars alike spoke out following the Sunday incident, in addition to criticizing BBC for including the slur in the tape-delayed broadcast of the ceremony, which was aired two hours later.

The British Academy of Film and Television took "full responsibility" for the incident in a Monday statement shared with EW, which read, "We take the duty of care to all our guests very seriously and start from a position of inclusion. "

The British Academy went on to "apologize unreservedly" to Jordan and Lindo, thanking them for "their incredible dignity and professionalism."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

It concluded, "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 statement came hours after Lindo addressed the incident while speaking to *Vanity Fair* at a Warner Brothers' after-party. The actor noted that he and Jordan "did what we had to do" while presenting, but admitted that he wished "someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards."**

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- BAFTA Film Awards

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Source: BAFTA

Published: 2026-02-23T21:00:39Z on Source: PRIME TIME

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