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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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People living with Tourette syndrome are responding to the viral moment at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards where a campaigner shouted the n-word during an award presentation.
Scottish Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, 54, shouted the racial slur during the Best Visual Effects presentation by Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo on February 22 at London’s Royal Festival Hall, where Davidson appeared as the real‑life subject of I Swear, a film that follows his experience growing up with Tourette’s.
Host Alan Cumming addressed the interruptions in real time, reminding the audience that Davidson’s tics were involuntary and something that he has no control over.
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The clip quickly ignited debate online, with many accusing Davidson of racism while others pushed back, citing the nature of coprolalia—a symptom affecting some people with Tourette’s that can cause spontaneous, unwanted utterances of profanities or other inappropriate language.
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Actor Jamie Foxx added fuel to the fire after reacting to the video on Instagram. Commenting under The Neighborhood Talk’s post, he wrote, "Nah he meant that s***." In a second comment, he said, "Unacceptable."
Host Alan Cumming told the audience: "You may have heard some strong and offensive language tonight. If you have seen the film I Swear, you will know that film is about the experience of a person with Tourette's syndrome.
"Tourette's syndrome is a disability and the tics you have heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette's syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you were offended."
Foxx’s remarks and others like them drew swift concern from the Tourette’s community, who say that public skepticism about involuntary tics fuels stigma.
Creators With Tourette’s Respond: 'We Need To Educate Ourselves'
One of the strongest responses came from TikTok creator Shay (@sh4ysgrwm), a Black woman with Tourette’s and coprolalia. Speaking in a video addressed to her followers, she said she had seen widespread outrage, including claims that Davidson must have intended the slur or that it reflected his vocabulary.
She warned that these assumptions deepen stigma for people with coprolalia, calling it "very embarrassing" and saying many people living with the condition were now watching strangers "hating on your condition."
She explained that people often tic during tense, silent or high‑pressure moments—like an awards ceremony—and that "involuntary swearing and inappropriate tics" can include slurs.
She emphasized that she is Black and experiences the n‑word as a tic herself, noting that it does not reflect intention, belief or choice. She said it was understandable to feel upset about the BAFTA moment but urged people not to direct that anger at disabled people.
"You can't be offended when a disabled person is disabled," she added.
She also warned against online commenters who said they would "invoke violence" against people with coprolalia, calling such reactions ableist. She explained that tics stem from "neurons misfiring," meaning they cannot be consciously controlled.
A Different Perspective: 'There Is No Excuse For Racism'
On Threads, surgeon and Tourette’s sufferer Dr. Blair Peters (@queersurgeon) offered a more conflicted view. He said that what happened "was wrong—it should never have happened. There is no excuse for racism," but added that his own childhood with Tourette’s was shaped by people misunderstanding what was and was not controllable.
According to Peters, tics typically evolve over days, weeks or months, not in sudden moments, and people with Tourette’s generally have a sense of what their tics tend to be over prolonged periods.
He believes that it would be unlikely for a specific racial slur to emerge as a first‑time tic in that exact moment, and that if it was a genuine tic, it had likely occurred before. He emphasized that while people with disabilities should be fully included in public life, disability "cannot be used to justify blatant harm towards others."
He also questioned what planning had been done ahead of the ceremony, saying there should have been a clear strategy if this was a known tic and a known risk. He argued that large‑scale events have the resources to put such plans in place and that the situation was avoidable. Peters added that only Davidson truly knows his intent and said that, given the harm caused, "clarity is owed," including an apology from all involved in the planning or lack thereof.
‘Imagine Everyone Around You Is That Mad at You All the Time’
Tourette’s advocate Marc Giguere (@mac_gere) shared his own experience living with nonverbal tics. He wrote: "I have Tourette's syndrome. I am fortunate enough to not have coprolalia as a symptom, my vocal tics are nonverbal, mostly throat clearing and humming.
"Coprolalia is a debilitating and life-disrupting condition I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy. You know how mad you are about the BAFTA situation? Imagine everyone around you is that mad at you all the time, every day, in every situation, every time you leave the house, because they can't comprehend that you have a neurological disorder."
John Davidson and I Swear
Davidson has been one of the U.K.’s most visible Tourette’s advocates since he first appeared in the 1989 BBC documentary John’s Not Mad. I Swear—the film he inspired—follows his life and experiences. The movie was nominated for five BAFTAs, and picked up three awards, including for Robert Aramayo, who picked up the prize for best actor and rising star and casting director, Lauren Evans, who scored best casting.
A BBC spokesperson told Newsweek: "Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer."
A spokesperson for BAFTA told Newsweek: "We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all. 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. "
They explained that “guests heard very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many” during Sunday night’s ceremony. They said they wanted to “acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened and apologise to all.”
The organization said that John Davidson MBE, has Tourette's syndrome that causes involuntary verbal tics “that the individual has no control over,” and stressed that such tics “are in no way a reflection of an individual’s beliefs and are not intentional.”
BAFTA said they approach their duty of care “from a position of inclusion” and had taken steps to alert attendees ahead of time. They told the audience before the ceremony that they might hear strong language, involuntary noises or movement, and repeated those warnings throughout the night.
According to the organization, “a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term” was heard early in the ceremony while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting. BAFTA said they “apologise unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted,” and thanked the pair for their “incredible dignity and professionalism.”
They confirmed that Davidson later chose to leave the auditorium and watch from another room, thanking him for his “dignity and consideration of others".
Tourette’s Action UK—a charity supporting those living with the condition across the U.K.—told Newsweek they were "incredibly proud of John, and everyone involved in I Swear" after the BAFTA Awards. They said the film had already raised major awareness around Tourette’s and the realities people with the condition face.
The charity acknowledged that the comments following Davidson’s involuntary tic had been painful to see, but said it was essential for the public to understand that "tics are involuntary" and not a reflection of someone’s beliefs or intentions. They added that people with Tourette’s can say words they "do not mean, do not endorse, and feel great distress about afterwards," emphasizing that these symptoms are neurological and not intentional.
They said the backlash was saddening given Davidson’s long‑standing work to educate others, and noted that the night became overwhelming enough that he chose to leave midway through—something they said reflects the isolation and misunderstanding Tourette’s often brings.
"We hope that those commenting will take the time to watch the film, learn about Tourette’s, and understand the experiences behind moments like these. Education is key, and compassion makes a world of difference," they said.
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