John Davidson reveals why his Tourette’s makes him say racial slurs, after BAFTAs incident

John Davidson, a Tourette’s campaigner who yelled out a racial slur during the BAFTAs has spoken out, saying he is “deeply mortified” by what happened.

Ash Knotek/Shutterstock

John Davidson attended the ceremony after inspiring the film I Swear, which dramatises his life with severe Tourette syndrome. The neurological condition causes sudden, involuntary sounds or movements known as tics, and for Davidson these can include shouting inappropriate words.

That’s what happened at the BAFTAs, when he called out a racial slur while actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting the first award of the night.

Speaking after the incident, Davidson said he is “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning”. He also praised BAFTA organisers for warning the audience about his Tourette’s beforehand and clarifying that his tics do not reflect his beliefs.

A resurfaced clip from last year shows Davidson explaining that one of his frequent vocal tics is the N-word, something that happens in some people with coprolalia, a form of Tourette’s involving involuntary swearing. In the video, he stresses that he hates racism and cannot control what he says.

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“One of my frequent tics is the N-word. It can get me in trouble, people misunderstand it and they see it as being racist. That’s one thing I absolutely hate, I hate racists,” he said. “I just can’t control what’s coming out. My Tourette’s is all about saying what’s not supposed to be said.”

The moment has sparked debate online, with some questioning why Davidson could not stop himself or why not all people with Tourette’s experience this. Experts say tics are involuntary and not driven by conscious thought.

Lyndsay Hay, a committee member at Tourette Scotland, told The National: “Tics can happen anytime, whether you feel they’re in context or not, it’s not controlled. It’s a misfire of a neuron in your brain. It’s not a definition of his character; it’s a neurological condition that people are saying he could have prevented, which he absolutely can’t.”

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She added there is no thought process before someone with Tourette’s says an offensive word. “It’s almost like it’s separate to them, it just happens. They don’t realise what they’ve said until they’ve said it and then they are mortified.”

calling michael b jordan and delroy lindo the n-word during black history month?! https://t.co/nNjdMPfmVX pic.twitter.com/UQ4I5Ow0Kg

— chu (@THEHORRORGOTH) February 22, 2026

Hay said most people with Tourette’s live in fear of saying something inappropriate and that coprolalia “has no meaning behind it, there’s no malice and it certainly should never be taken personally”.

Following the broadcast, BBC removed the ceremony from iPlayer and plans to upload an edited version. Some people argued the corporation should have acted more quickly.

However, Hay said an on-air apology should not have been made. “I don’t think we should be apologising for people’s disabilities. He can’t help what he’s doing,” she said. “Would you apologise for someone that couldn’t walk?”

She added that the focus should have been on the night’s achievements, including actor Robert Aramayo winning best actor for portraying Davidson, rather than the controversy.

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Featured image credit: Ash Knotek/Shutterstock