politics
February 23, 2026
BBC producers say they ‘didn’t hear’ N-word slur as ‘working in a truck’, following second Baftas apology
Corporation says it is sorry that words spoken involuntarily during ceremony by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, were not edited out
TL;DR
- BBC producers claim they did not hear a racial slur broadcast during the Bafta film awards, stating they were working from a truck.
- The N-word, spoken involuntarily by Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, remained uncorrected on BBC iPlayer overnight before the coverage was taken down and re-edited.
- The BBC issued a second apology for the error and for not editing out the offensive language prior to broadcast.
- Bafta acknowledged the offensive language, its traumatic impact, and apologized for putting guests in a difficult situation.
- Critics, including Kemi Badenoch, questioned why this slur was not bleeped out when other comments, such as 'Free Palestine', were removed.
- John Davidson apologized for any distress caused by his involuntary tics, emphasizing they are not a reflection of his beliefs or intentions.
- Campaign group Tourettes Action highlighted that tics are involuntary and not a reflection of a person's character.
- Actors Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce expressed dismay, with Foxx calling the incident 'unacceptable' and Pierce prioritizing apologies to the affected actors.
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