John Davidson, a prominent advocate for Tourette’s Syndrome awareness, drew significant attention recently when he shouted racial slurs at fellow actor Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the BAFTA awards ceremony. His comments were caught on camera by a microphone that was placed just feet away from his seat in the audience.
In an exclusive interview with Variety, Davidson provided more insight into Tourette’s Syndrome, explaining that coprolalia — the involuntary use of obscene or offensive language — is experienced by about 10 to 30 percent of those diagnosed. This condition can lead to severe distress and even social isolation for individuals like Davidson.
Davidson shared a harrowing story from his own experiences: he had been physically assaulted with an iron bar after making a comment that upset a young woman, her boyfriend, and another accomplice who ambushed him at night. He emphasized the severity of Tourette’s by stating that he has no idea when tics might occur or what form they could take.
In a different incident during the BAFTA awards ceremony, Davidson was heard shouting repeatedly during various speeches and presentations. His outburst included “shut the f*** up” while Sara Putt, the chair of BAFTA, introduced a speech, and he shouted “f*** you” as filmmakers behind Boong accepted their award for Best Children’s and Family Film.
Davidson clarified that his tics were not intentional or reflective of his values. “What you’re hearing is a symptom — not my character, not my thought, not my belief,” he stated in the interview. He explained how echolalia triggered during speeches by Alan Cumming about sexuality and Paddington Bear’s potential romantic advances could result in homophobic tics like “pedophile.”
The incident involving Jordan and Lindo was just one of several disruptions during the evening event. The BBC, which aired a segment two hours after the ceremony took place, faced criticism for airing the slur even though it had been edited out before broadcast.
During his conversation with Variety, Davidson revealed that he believed Tourette’s Syndrome can feel “spiteful,” causing individuals to use the worst possible words in response to triggers. He further described how his condition manifested during a speech by BAFTA’s chair: “Boring,” followed by homophobic tics leading to a shout of “pedophile.” This reaction was likely triggered because Paddington Bear is considered a children’s character.
Davidson expressed frustration with the BBC over the incident, questioning whether the broadcaster had fully realized the impact his condition could have. He explained that during a previous collaboration with the organization, he worked under similar conditions and assumed caution should be exercised in future broadcasts as well.
The BBC acknowledged the mistake, launching an investigation into how it mishandled the slur. Director-General George Entwistle instructed the Executive Complaints Unit to investigate quickly, ensuring swift action was taken. British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy supported this move, stating that broadcasting a racial slur is “completely unacceptable and harmful.” She emphasized that the BBC must take responsibility for such incidents.
BAFTA has officially apologized to Jordan and Lindo, taking full responsibility for what transpired during the ceremony.