John Davidson shouting the N word during the BAFTAS

[Crawse]

John Davidson has Tourettes and is a campaigner for the condition. Whist Michale B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting he shouted out the racial slur. It’s extremely uncomfortable to watch. I feel terrible for the two presenters. I’m really conflicted on this one.

What are your thoughts?

No one should be subjected to abuse. That is my bottom line. Maybe the fact I was called P*** (I’m half Indian) growing up has influenced my views. I obviously recognise Tourette’s is involuntary.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/22/entertainment/baftas-2026-tourettes-racist-slur

She isn't going around being offensive. She's going around being disabled.

I suspect so too.

But because the victims are black, people are falling over themselves in their rush to justify it and side with John.

No.

Greg Wallace said he has a disability which means he is not in full control of his behaviour and that people should understand that.

What's the difference?

Poor guy, must of been so embaressing. Also for those listening and if its been edited out then good.
But its not a slur or insult its an involuntary verbal tick, people should be sensible enough to understand that.
It seems like Tourettes often makes people voice the absolute worst thing your brain could come up with. How would any of us feel if we threw horrible, offensive insults at people againest our will?

I Swear is a fantastic film though. Funny, heart warming, sad....brilliant!

Respectfully, you’re not answering my question here. I’m not talking about ‘fatso’.

Maybe, but editing the broadcast doesn’t address the primary issue which is people in the same room.

Ah , thanks. I have misunderstood. From what I’d read I’d thought it had gone out live on tv. So the host was apologising to the live audience and people on stage, not the tv audience.

Davidson left of his own accord during the second half of the ceremony

So he is capable of removing himself from a situation when his disability is causing distress to others.

The fact he didn't get up and walk out after the first time he did it speaks volumes.

People are defending John the person, not the word he shouted. Nobody thinks yelling racist slurs is defensible, but the fact is that John and everyone else who lives with the condition are not doing it intentionally and so that is defensible.

A mature society recognises that it is possible and indeed correct to disassociate any sort of intent from what is being yelled and therefore that no insult should be taken from it.

I understand that's an easy thing to say, and an incredibly difficult thing to do in practice, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the answer is never that we just hide people with disabilities away.

I would expect someone who involuntarily shouted sexual abuse might be accompanied by someone who could reassure others that it’s a verbal tic. When I’ve seen people tic it’s been very obvious that it’s a tic. It isn’t at all like normal conversation.

Social media is always making jokes. Not JD’s fault.

Black people really do, and should not be subjected to abuse. Is discussing it abuse?

That's just racists being racist. Obviously that's not ok.

It's also nothing to do with John Davidson.

I don't think there's anyone with the moral high ground here - everyone loses, if that's the right way to look at it.

In my personal opinion JD should apologise, because hurt was caused even though unintended, and that apology should be accepted gracefully, because obviously he can't help it, and that should be the end of the matter.

It’s not ok to shout such things but if you’d have watched any of the docs on John, he immediately apologises for his tics. They are tics, not threats. Do potential rapists (or horrible men in general) apologise for their threats immediately after making them?

Does no one understand what the word involuntary means anymore?

My understanding of involuntary actions /speech in people with tourettes is that the person has some control over the choice of vocabulary words. I will stand corrected, if required.
I detest any type of racial language, in particular the word that was allegedly used. I haven't seen the unedited version

He has shouted things like this, or similar, when walking about in Gala. Thankfully he was well enough known there even before I Swear for people to know "that's just John". To know it was the Tourettes rather than him announcing his actual intended actions.

If you didn't know John, I am sure you would be taken aback by hearing it shouted across the street. But verbal tics don't tend to come on their own, so it would be fairly obvious fairly quickly what was happening.

People have a right - The staff and guests there - to be upset and angry about what IS a racist slur , irrespective of whether it's a tic or not.

It's not about being sensible, it's about having their feelings considered as well.

At the end of the day the presence of JD at these awards has been handled appalling by BAFTA. Guests, presenters and staff should have been made aware of this possibility to lessen the shock. Not everyone will have made the link between him being there and disgusting words being shouted. It's not good for JD's mental health either, people will not be able to separate the disability from the person. I have already read people asking why he has the ' N' word in his vocabulary?. ( he may or may not use it, but if it's a word he's aware of which most everyone is, there is a chance it could be said due to his Tourette's tic).

I fear this may start a backlash against the film which would be a shame. Some high profile black people have already stated they don't care about the circumstances in which it was said, just that is was then casually dismissed afterwards.

Even the lefty progressive Graun thinks the broadcast should have been edited. Apparently Alan Cumming made a comment about Trump's America. They edited it out, so poor dear Maga lovers wouldn't be offended.

www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/23/n-word-baftas-diversity-tourette-john-davidson

I'll be honest, if I see someone that is very large indeed, I do notice. Most people would. It doesn't mean I judge, or think horrible thoughts about that person - but I have eyes.

How does that work for somebody's skin colour, then? I too have eyes, and of course I notice if somebody is black, Asian, white, male, female, tall, short, clearly disabled, apparently able-bodied, whatever... but it's of no consequence to me.

I have older family members who would say "I met this black man at Asda today, who told me......" but it wouldn't occur to me for a moment to mention his race/colour, as it's irrelevant. I wouldn't pay it any mind at all; any more than if the person had been blond(e) or Welsh or used a walking stick; all that matters is what they said to you.

Whilst obviously acknowledging that surely some people with Tourette's can naturally be plain racist/unpleasant etc. - as they are people like everybody else, and some people are sadly like this - does Tourette's also subconsciously and involuntarily grab the mind of otherwise-pleasant sufferers to make their tics specific to the object of their outburst, as well as triggering the outburst itself?

Angry at who?

Your understanding is wrong.

They cannot control it.

That's what involuntary means.

How do you know that's what they always are ? How much have you read ? (Not that you need to reply)