Darren Lewis: ‘Bafta’s racist insult and its handling was despicable.’

The BBC has apologised for not editing out a racial slur made by a guest at Sunday night’s Bafta ceremony. But now it’s too little, too late… and there’s always an excuse

There is always an excuse. The BAFTA producers didn’t hear it. They were sitting in a truck. Will someone think about the culprit? Actually no, not this time. My thoughts go out to superstars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, the other two Black men who put themselves in second place and the man who used the ‘n’ word for them, Tourette syndrome (TS) activist John Davidson, in first place. I think of them primarily because everything about Sunday night’s outrage and its handling of it was reprehensible.

Critics are right to silence host Alan Cummings, saying it is insincere to apologise “if you were offended”. Anyone who looks at the history of the ‘N’ word knows that “if you were angry” doesn’t even come close to cutting it.

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Her tone – let’s call it explanation – smacked of ‘She has Tourette syndrome, so you have to avoid it a lot. ‘Anyone who has ever brought racial abuse to the attention of HR at work will have learnt a lot about the way Jordan and Lindo were denied priority treatment.

John Davidson, who has Tourette’s (Image: Getty Images)

He was insulted. Anyone who has suffered racial abuse in public and been effectively asked to shrug it off will know exactly what they were feeling in that moment. Good luck getting them invited again next year.

Then there is the shameful lack of protection from BAFTA and the BBC towards Johnson, his fellow guests and viewers around the world. If Cumming could be prepared to make everyone aware of his condition, then how come the organisers and broadcasters could not step in to warn fellow guests in advance that this could potentially be an issue?

Host Alan Cumming speaks on stage during the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026 at The Royal Festival Hall on February 22, 2026, in London, England (Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

Or create a situation in which he can save himself from the situation in the centre of which he finds himself. Then again, the BBC’s belated apology doesn’t matter. Johnson’s film, I Swear, is literally inspired by his life dealing with the hostility generated by T.S. And yes, two things may actually be true, yada, yada, yada.

A person may suffer from coprophenomena, the involuntary expression of socially inappropriate words or gestures. In the vocal form – coprolalia – the said person uses taboo or objectionable words. Experts suggest that 10–30 per cent of people with Tourette syndrome live with coprolalia.

All this being the case, a few questions. The ceremony was pre-recorded before being edited for broadcast. Why did the BBC find it appropriate to edit out the words ‘Free Palestine’ used by Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davis in the broadcast, but not Johnson’s highly offensive words? What would the Beebe have done if Johnson had used those words?

Michael B. Jordan (Image: PA Wire)

Delroy Lindo posing on the red carpet before the BAFTA Film Awards 2026 (Image: PA Wire)

And how is it that Hannah Beachler, a Black Academy Award-winning production designer, could also allege on social media that she was verbally abused three times during the evening — including once when someone yelled at her and another Black woman while they were on their way to dinner?

BAFTA faced heavy criticism three years ago when all 49 winners were white despite a diverse list of nominees. The organisers took steps to deal with that situation. This latest response suggests they need to go back to the drawing board.

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darren lewis