Tourette’s Advocate John Davidson Issues Statement

John Davidson, the Tourette’s syndrome advocate who involuntarily shouted the N-word during the BAFTA Film Awards, said he was “deeply mortified” if anyone thought his outbursts were “intentional.” 

Davidson is an activist and longtime educator on Tourette’s syndrome, whose life inspired the BAFTA-nominated biopic, I Swear. Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he could be heard swearing at several points during last night’s ceremony. When Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo — both of whom are Black — were presenting the award for Best Special Visual Effects, Davidson could be heard shouting the N-word. 

In his new statement, shared with Variety, Davison said, “I am, and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”

Though he did not address Jordan or Lindo directly, he did acknowledge the severity of the moment, noting, “I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.” (Best Special Visual Effects was the first award handed out that night.) 

Lindo, for his part, told Vanity Fair after the show that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” while they were onstage. He added that he only wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.” 

According to Davidson, the BAFTAs did give the crowd some forewarning about his tics. He said he “appreciated” the announcement made before the show “warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs.” He also thanked host Alan Cumming for the pair of remarks he made during the show, and added, “I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me.” 

Davidson ended his statement saying that I Swear “more than any film or TV documentary, explains the origins, condition, traits, and manifestations of Tourette’s Syndrome. I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness, and understanding from others and I will continue to do so.” 

Much of the frustration over the situation has not been directed at Davidson, but rather at the BAFTAs and the BBC, which airs the show. The latter specifically came under fire for failing to censor Davidson’s tics, despite the fact that the BAFTAs are recorded on a two-hour tape delay. The BBC has since apologized and muted the outburst.

The BAFTAs, meanwhile, issued an apology saying it took “full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation,” adding, “We will learn from this, and keep incision at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”

The organization also apologized “unreservedly” to Jordan, Lindo, and “all those impacted,” and thanked the Sinners stars “for their incredible dignity and professionalism.” Acknowledging Davidson’s decision to leave the auditorium, the BAFTAs also thanked him “for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him.”