Alan Cumming Takes on the BAFTAs Controversy: “We were all let down by decisions made”
The 2026 BAFTA Awards are continuing to send shockwaves throughout the entertainment industry, after a racial slur said by Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson, was included in the broadcast.
The slur was involuntarily yelled while Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage presenting the night’s award for Best Visual Effects, leading to shocked reactions throughout the room. The BBC’s choice to not edit the moment from the show has been met with scrutiny ever since, especially given the fact that they did edit out a “Free Palestine” comment from Outstanding British Debut winner Akinola Davies Jr.
Now, the evening’s host, The Traitors and Avengers: Doomsday star Alan Cumming, is speaking out about the ordeal. Cumming addressed both controversies in a gallery of images on Instagram, and although the form of his statement has been called into question (leading one comment to argue “posting the apology to u serving face is so funny im sorry”), his sentiment that the event became “a trauma triggering shitshow” has quickly gone viral.
“It’s now a week since I hosted the BAFTAs,” Cumming’s post begins. “What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering shitshow. I’m so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed around the world. I’m so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition.”
“The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully [cognizant] is folly, that all trauma must be recognized and honoured,” Cumming continued. “We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night’s events.”
The BAFTAs Controversy Continues…
The ordeal surrounding the racial slur continues to be unpacked online, with conversations surrounding racism, ableism, and just the moral duty of the BBC to not broadcast it. Davidson, who was attending the event on behalf of his biopic I Swear, has a form of Tourette syndrome known as coprolalia, which can lead to involuntarily saying sensitive language. While he was told before the BAFTAs ceremony that his swearing would be edited out of the broadcast, that proved to not be the case.
“I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe,” Davidson said in an emailed statement to Variety. “It’s an involuntary neurological misfire. My tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values. Those who have seen I Swear will understand this. My tics have said and done things over the years that have caused huge pain and upset — punching Dottie [my second mother] in the face is a prime example. Dottie is someone I love dearly. I would never, ever want to hurt her. I have even punched her in the face when she was driving at speed, almost causing a head-on collision.”
“Tourette’s can make my body or voice do things I don’t mean, and sometimes those tics land on the worst possible words,” Davidson continued. “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.”
The BAFTAs issued their own statement shortly after the ceremony, personally apologizing to Lindo and Jordan, and assuring that: “we will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”
(featured image: Peacock)
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