A moment during the 2026BAFTA Film Awardsthat took place on Sunday placed Scottish campaigner John Davidson at the centre of international attention after he shouted a racial slur during a live presentation bySinnerscast members, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.

The outburst occurred as the pair presented the award for Best Visual Effects at London's Royal Festival Hall. Davidson, who lives with Tourette's syndrome, was attending the ceremony as the real-life subject of the nominated biographical filmI Swear.

However, according to reports, organisers had warned the audience before the show that Davidson experiences involuntary vocal tics, including swearing, but the specific moment and its timing have sparked worldwide conversations.

The disruption took place during the early part of the ceremony. As Jordan and Lindo stood on stage, Davidson shouted theN-wordfrom the audience. In the clip, which is widely circulated on social media, Gasps were heard inside the venue.

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Earlier in the evening, other audible tics included phrases such as 'shut the fu*k up' and 'fu*k you' during speeches. BAFTA host Alan Cumming addressed the audience directly, stating that Tourette's syndrome can involve involuntary vocalisations, and apologising if anyone was offended.

According to reports, Davidson left the ceremony voluntarily after approximately 25 minutes, and organisers confirmed he was an invited guest and had not been asked to leave.

Neither Michael B. Jordan nor Delroy Lindo issued immediate public statements about the incident, though both continued with the presentation professionally as it was seen in the clip.

Davidson, 54, is a long-time advocate for awareness of Tourette's syndrome, a neurological condition characterised by involuntary motor and vocal tics. In some cases, it includes coprolalia, the involuntary utterance of socially inappropriate or offensive words.

Born in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, Davidson reportedly began experiencing symptoms around age 12. He was later diagnosed in his teens. His condition led to bullying and isolation during adolescence, experiences documented in the 1989 BBC filmJohn's Not Mad, which introduced many viewers in the UK to Tourette's for the first time.

Source: International Business Times UK