Jonte Richardson has said he will no longer be a Bafta judge because of how the organization dealt with a Tourette’s campaigner who yelled a racial slur at the event on Sunday.
After the incident at the Royal Festival Hall in London, the award-winning writer, director, and producer chose to leave the Bafta emerging talent judging panel.
John Davidson was heard yelling the N-word while Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan gave out the award for special visual effects at the Bafta Film Awards.
Mr. Davidson, who is 54, left the auditorium early and later apologized. The BBC also apologized for not cutting out the racial insult from the delayed broadcast.
A source informed Deadline today that Warner Bros. executives immediately told Bafta about the slur and asked for it to be taken off the BBC’s broadcast.
Mr. Richardson said on LinkedIn yesterday, “After a lot of soul-searching, I feel I have to step down from the Bafta emerging talent judging panel.”The way the organization dealt with the awful Tourette’s N-Word episode at the awards last night was completely unacceptable. I can’t and won’t give my time, energy, and knowledge to an organization that has continually failed to protect the dignity of its Black visitors, members, and the Black creative community.
“This is especially sad because this year’s group has some amazing Black talent, like one of my favorite shows of 2025, ‘Just Act Normal.'”But when an organization like Bafta, which has a long history of institutional racism, won’t admit to the harm done to both the Black and disabled communities and won’t apologize properly, being involved would be like supporting its actions.
“I hope the people in charge at Bafta understand how much harm they and the BBC have done and do what needs to be done to make sure their production staff is diverse enough to avoid this kind of problem in the future.”
Mr. Richardson used to be a touring musician and has worked in both the UK and US film and TV industries with stars including Beyoncé, Denzel Washington, and Queen Latifah.
Before Mr. Davidson made his own statement, in which he said he was “deeply mortified if anyone thinks my involuntary tics are intentional or have any meaning,” he resigned.
The campaigner said he left the auditorium early because he “knew how upset my tics were making people.”
Mr. Davidson added, “I wanted to thank Bafta and everyone else who helped with the awards last night for their support and understanding and for letting me be there. “I liked that the announcement was made to the audience before the recording, letting everyone know that my tics are not a reflection of my personal values. After this declaration, I heard a round of applause that made me feel accepted and understood in a place where I usually wouldn’t.
Alan Cumming, the host of the awards show, apologized on air for the profanity that viewers might have heard.
Mr. Davidson remarked, “In addition to the announcement by Alan Cumming, the BBC, and Bafta, I can only add that I am, and always have been, deeply mortified if anyone thinks my involuntary tics are intentional or have any meaning.”
Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo give the Special Visual Effects Award on stage at the Royal Festival Hall during the Bafta Film Awards on Sunday, when the slur was yelled out.I came there to celebrate the movie of my life, “I Swear,” which explains the origins, condition, qualities, and symptoms of Tourette syndrome better than any other movie or TV program. I have spent my life attempting to help and empower people with Tourette’s and teach them how to be kind, understanding, and compassionate. I will keep doing this. I decided to leave the theater early in the ceremony since I knew how upset my tics were making me.
A “well-placed” source told Deadline today that Warner Bros. executives quickly alerted Bafta that they were worried about the usage of the N-word.
While the ceremony was being recorded, which was shown on a two-hour delay, the studio was supposedly told that its concerns would be passed on to the BBC and producer Penny Lane TV.
People who work at Bafta said that they talked to Warner Bros, but they didn’t say if the concerns were sent to the BBC and Penny Lane.
Deadline also alleged that the gallery’s producers for Penny Lane didn’t hear the N-word being spoken, but Warner Bros. isn’t sure what happened between then and when the show aired.
Bafta stated in a statement last night that it was sorry for what happened and that it takes “full responsibility” for putting its guests in a “difficult situation.”
A Bafta spokeswoman said, “Last night at the Bafta Film Awards, our guests heard language that was very offensive and caused trauma and pain that is beyond compare for so many.” We want to say that this has hurt people and apologize to everyone for what transpired.John Davidson MBE, one of our guests, has Tourette syndrome and has spent his life teaching people about it and fighting for improved awareness of the disorder. Tourette syndrome makes people have speech tics that they can’t control.
John Davidson at the Bafta Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday. “Such tics are in no way a reflection of an individual’s beliefs and are not intentional.” John Davidson is the executive producer of the Bafta-nominated movie I Swear, which is based on his own life. We take the duty of care to all of our visitors very seriously and always start from a place of inclusiveness. We did things to let everyone know about the tics. Before and during the ceremony, we told everyone that John was there and that they might hear loud noises, angry words, or actions that weren’t planned. A loud tic that sounded like a really obscene word was heard by a lot of people in the room early on in the ceremony. Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we are very sorry to them and everyone else who was affected. We want to thank Michael and Delroy for being so professional and dignified. John elected to leave the auditorium during the ceremony and watch the rest of it on a screen. We want to applaud him for being respectful and thinking of others on what should have been a night of celebration for him. We are really sorry for putting our guests in a very difficult situation. We assume full responsibility. We will learn from this and put inclusiveness at the center of everything we do. We still believe that film and narrative are important ways to show compassion and empathy.
Lindo told Vanity Fair at the Warner Bros. afterparty that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” when presenting, but he hoped “someone from Bafta had talked to us afterward.”
The NHS says that Tourette syndrome is a condition that makes people make sudden, repetitive sounds or motions that they can’t control. In very rare cases, this can lead to people using foul language.
It indicates that there is no cure, although medication can help control the tics.
Mr. Davidson was given an MBE in 2019 for his work to help families manage with Tourette syndrome and raise awareness of the disorder.
I Swear is a movie on the life of a Scottish activist who got the disease when he was 12.
Robert Aramayo, who won Best Actor for his role in the movie, is in it. The movie also won Best Casting. He was also called an EE Rising Star.
Thierry Mabonga, a Scottish actor, plays Mr. Davidson’s lawyer in the movie. He went on TikTok yesterday to talk about what happened.
He remarked in his video, “This is the condition, the disease of Tourette’s syndrome.” John can’t help what he says. That’s actually the main reason we’re doing this movie.We developed this movie to teach people about Tourette’s condition. How can you tell he can’t be present at the awards? This movie is about his life. This is a movie about him. He had to be there, and it’s terrific that he was.
He posted another video in which he said, “Someone who has Tourette’s shouldn’t apologize for having it.” He also talked about when Mr. Davidson met Queen Elizabeth II and added, “If the Queen understood that, I don’t know why people don’t.”
The BBC apologized sorry for not cutting out the racial slur from the show. A spokeswoman for the company stated, “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards.”Tourette syndrome caused these involuntary verbal tics, and as was mentioned during the ceremony, they were not meant to happen.We are sorry that this was not cut out before it was shown on TV. It will be taken out of the version on BBC iPlayer now.
Charity Tourettes Action said it “deeply understands” how hurtful the racist slur is, but asked for awareness of the disease.
A representative for the charity remarked, “We also want to respond to the bad things that have been said about John’s involuntary vocal tics during the ceremony.”We know that these remarks can hurt, but it’s also important for the public to know that tics are not something that people can control. They don’t show what someone believes, wants, or is like.People with Tourette’s can say things they don’t mean, don’t agree with, and feel very bad about it later.These symptoms are neurological, not purposeful, and John, like many other people with Tourette’s, has to deal with them every day.
It went on to claim that it was “deeply saddening” to see the “backlash” to the event and that Mr. Davidson had decided to leave the ceremony early.
Tourette Scotland, which has worked with Mr. Davidson, said that his outburst had “no meaning” and that the Tourette’s community is “kind and very understanding, and would never want to upset anyone with their tics.”
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