Incident At The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards During Michael B. Jordan & Delroy Lindo Presentation

Incident at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards During Michael B. Jordan & Delroy Lindo Presentation
At the 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) in London on Sunday 22 February 2026, a racial slur was audibly shouted from the audience while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo both stars of the acclaimed vampire film Sinners were on stage presenting the ceremony’s first award, for Best Visual Effects. The offensive term widely reported as the N-word was yelled from the audience as Jordan and Lindo began presenting the award, causing both actors to pause briefly before continuing professionally.
The moment was included in the BBC’s broadcast (which was shown with a delay), although some coverage later removed the ceremony from BBC iPlayer because of the controversy over the slur being aired. “Sinners” had been a major focus at the awards, with multiple nominations and wins, making the incident especially notable in a night celebrating its achievements.
The remark was made by John Davidson, a Scottish Tourette’s syndrome campaigner whose life and condition inspired the BAFTA-nominated film I Swear. His condition can involve involuntary vocal tics, including sudden and inappropriate language.
Davidson also made other outbursts during the ceremony, including profanity during speeches earlier in the night. He reportedly left the ceremony voluntarily part-way through.
Host Alan Cumming addressed the audience live, explaining that some strong language might occur due to how Tourette’s syndrome can manifest, and asked for understanding while also emphasising respect.The BBC apologised to viewers after the broadcast, saying the offensive language “arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome” and that it was not intentional, expressing regret for any offence caused.
The incident sparked significant discussion and criticism, including from film industry figures. Some argued that the broadcaster should have bleeped or edited out the slur, especially given the delayed broadcast, while others raised concerns about how both the condition and the offensive language were handled.
Some critics specifically noted that the BBC’s decision to leave the slur in the televised show while editing other remarks was a mistake that deserved a fuller response.
Despite this uncomfortable episode, the BAFTAs proceeded with the evening’s awards, with films like One Battle After Another and Sinners winning major prizes, and artists celebrated across categories.The moment has continued to spark broader conversation about disability awareness, broadcast responsibility, and how award shows handle unexpected disruptions involving sensitive content.