The BAFTAs Celebrated a Tourette's Film - Then Threw the Man Himself Under a Bus
Share
At the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, a moment involving Scottish Tourette's activist John Davidson shifted the ceremony from celebration to controversy.
When Davidson experienced a vocal tic that included a racial slur during the live broadcast, the reaction was swift and divided. The incident has since raised urgent questions about disability inclusion, racism, media responsibility, and whether public spaces are truly prepared for disabled people.
Key Takeaways
- Inclusion requires preparation — Inviting disabled people into high-profile spaces means anticipating access needs, not reacting after harm occurs.
- Tourette's is neurological — Vocal tics, including involuntary swearing, are not expressions of belief or intent.
- Harm and context can coexist — The impact of racial slurs is real, even when words are involuntary. Both truths must be held at once.
- Media systems matter — Live broadcasting policies, audio management, and seating decisions shape how incidents unfold.
- Public empathy is inconsistent — Online responses exposed persistent ableism and limited understanding of Tourette's.
A Celebratory Night That Turned Fraught
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards were meant to mark a high point for John Davidson. The film I Swear, inspired by his life as a Tourette's activist, won major awards — including Best Actor for Robert Aramayo's portrayal of him. Davidson has spent years speaking openly about Tourette's syndrome and challenging the stereotypes that follow it. His work led to greater awareness, an MBE, and eventually a feature film.
During the live broadcast, as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award, Davidson experienced a vocal tic that included the N-word. Other offensive words were also heard at points during the evening. Despite a broadcast delay, the BBC aired the moment. The corporation later apologised, citing production difficulties. BAFTA issued its own statement, acknowledging the harm caused and confirming that the audience had been informed in advance about Davidson's presence and the possibility of vocal tics.
Davidson left the event early. In interviews afterwards, he described feeling "deeply mortified" and spoke about a "wave of shame." He apologised directly to those affected and made clear that the words did not reflect his beliefs. The celebration of his advocacy had, within minutes, become an international debate.
Understanding Tourette's and Coprolalia
Tourette's syndrome is a neurological condition involving involuntary motor and vocal tics. A small percentage of people with tourettes experience coprolalia — which can include shouting socially taboo or offensive words. These outbursts are not chosen. They are not political statements. They are not reflections of personal values. Many people with coprolalia describe their tics as latching onto words that would cause maximum distress in a given setting: a quiet room, a classroom, a live television broadcast.
That does not erase the impact of hearing a racial slur. The harm attached to that word is rooted in violence and history. But understanding intent still matters. Equating an involuntary neurological tic with deliberate racism flattens a complex reality into a headline. Under the Social Model of Disability, the disabling barrier is not the neurological condition itself — it is the lack of systems, planning, and public understanding around it.
To understand more about how ableism shapes public life, read our piece on Addressing Ableism in Parliament: A Call for Inclusivity.
Where Inclusion Fell Short
BAFTA confirmed that attendees had been informed in advance about Davidson's Tourette's. Critics questioned whether that was enough. Real inclusion demands more than a notification — it requires proactive planning. Could seating arrangements have reduced microphone proximity? Could audio teams have had clearer protocols? Could there have been more robust broadcast safeguards?
Inclusion is often framed as access to the room. Real inclusion involves preparation for what might happen inside it. Large events already manage unpredictable factors — technical failures, political protests, unexpected speeches. Neurological tics should not be treated as unforeseeable chaos. They are part of human diversity. Planning for them is not extraordinary; it is responsible event design.
The Online Reaction: Ableism Meets Outrage
Public responses split quickly. Some commentators condemned the incident without qualification. Others defended Davidson and criticised what they saw as a wave of ableism. One widely shared post captured the emotional toll:
"I'm so sad he couldn't have just one moment of triumph and understanding amongst the elite to feel good about himself. It's such a cruel rejection. These people are awful, selfish pigs. What does it take for disabled people to be accepted?"
— @soulseamstress2 on X
Beneath the noise sat a deeper frustration: a film intended to build understanding of Tourette's had instead triggered public vilification of the person whose life inspired it. Disabled people are often welcomed symbolically — invited, spotlighted, applauded. Acceptance becomes more fragile when disability behaves in ways that make non-disabled audiences uncomfortable.
For further reading on neurodiversity and how public figures navigate disability in the spotlight, see our post on Asperger's Syndrome Celebrities.
Holding Two Truths at Once
It is possible to acknowledge that hearing a racial slur causes harm and distress. It is also possible to acknowledge that an involuntary tic is not an expression of racism. The public conversation struggled to hold both truths simultaneously. Disability inclusion cannot depend on disabled people being predictable. It cannot rely on conditions remaining invisible. If inclusion evaporates the moment disability becomes visible or disruptive, it was never secure.
What This Means for Future Events
The investigations by the BBC and BAFTA may lead to policy changes — and they should. Live broadcasting requires clear safeguarding systems. Event organisers need detailed access planning that accounts for neurological conditions, not just physical access. Public education around Tourette's must move beyond simplified awareness campaigns and into deeper understanding of how tics function in real-world environments.
Davidson has spent years advocating for that understanding. The painful irony is that the most high-profile moment of his career may also have been the one that exposed how incomplete that understanding remains. Inclusion is not measured by invitations alone. It is measured by what happens when things do not go smoothly — and whether disabled people are met with preparation and empathy, or with public condemnation.
At Disability Horizons Shop, we believe inclusion starts with visibility. Explore our range of disability-positive products — from adaptive aids to our Assume Nothing Disability Pride T-Shirts — designed to celebrate identity and challenge assumptions.
When the Room Decides Your Story For You
John Davidson's experience at the BAFTAs is not an isolated incident. Disabled people are routinely welcomed into prestigious spaces — only for those spaces to define them by their disability the moment things don't go to plan.
The same pattern plays out in business. When disability-led brands enter rooms full of decision-makers, the response is often the same: the innovation gets overlooked, and the disability gets centred instead. We explored exactly this dynamic in our recent post on Active Hands and their appearance on Dragons' Den — where five investors saw a disability story and missed a global business.
Read next: The Dragons Saw a Disability Story. They Missed a Global Business.