John Davidson explains all the other offensive tics he had at BAFTAs after racial slur incident

Everyone’s been talking about the BAFTAs moment where John Davidson involuntarily shouted a racial slur, but actually, that wasn’t the only one, and he experienced other offensive tics that night.

The Scottish activist has now explained that he “ticked perhaps 10 different offensive words” during the ceremony on Sunday, 22 February. So basically, what viewers heard on the broadcast was only one part of a much bigger picture.

Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, has stressed that his tics are involuntary and not a reflection of what he believes. Speaking to Variety, he said, “I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe. It’s an involuntary neurological misfire.”

He also revealed that a microphone was positioned very close to where he was sitting in the audience. This meant his tics were clearly picked up.

He has now shared the other offensive tics he had that night

Credit: Ash Knotek/Shutterstock

Davidson said that when the BAFTA chair began speaking, he shouted, “Boring.”

He then described another moment involving host Alan Cumming. “[Host] Alan Cumming joked about his own sexuality and, when referencing Paddington Bear, said, ‘Maybe you would like to come home with me, Paddington. It wouldn’t be the first time I have taken a hairy Peruvian bear home with me’. This resulted in homophobic tics from me and led to a shout of ‘paedophile’. That was likely triggered because Paddington Bear is a children’s character.

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“I would appreciate reports of the event explaining that I ticked perhaps 10 different offensive words on the night of the awards.

“The N-word was one of these. And I completely understand its significance in history and in the modern world. But most articles are giving the impression I shouted one single slur on Sunday.”

Davidson also spoke about coprolalia, a symptom of Tourette syndrome which can involve involuntary swearing or socially inappropriate language. He described it as one of the hardest tics to manage. And he said the guilt and shame afterwards can be “often unbearable”.

“My brain works so fast and the tics have always been so aggressive that I have no idea when they are coming or what they will be,” he said. “I have almost no ability to suppress. And when the situation is stressful, I have absolutely no choice but to tic. It simply bursts out of me like a gunshot. Tourette’s can make my body or voice do things I don’t mean. And sometimes those tics land on the worst possible words.

“I want to be really clear that the intent behind them is zero. What you’re hearing is a symptom, not my character, not my thought, not my belief.”

BAFTA, the BBC and Davidson have since apologised for the incident.

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