The BAFTA Board of Trustees is implementing a three-point plan to ensure future incidents like the N-word being broadcast at the 2026 EE BAFTAs never happens again.
Following an independent review into February’s 79th British Academy Film Awards, the awards body issued a statement on Friday, apologizing to both the Black and the disability communities for “structural weaknesses” that allowed the disturbance to occur — despite no “evidence of malicious intent” being involved.
“What was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed. We have written to those directly impacted on the night to apologise,” the board wrote. BAFTA is also implementing changes “around accessibility and inclusion planning, culture, and event communication and command structure” after admitting organizers did not “adequately anticipate or fully prepare” for the moment.
The update comes two months after “I Swear” subject and EP John Davidson used the N-word against “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while they were presenting. The slur remained in the BBC’s tape-delayed broadcast and even overnight on the iPlayer streamer. However, the broadcaster did catch the Tourette syndrome advocate’s tic against their co-star Wunmi Mosaku within 10 minutes of the first incident, which was edited out.
On Wednesday, BBC’s executive complaints unit similarly deemed the ordeal a “clear breech” of editorial standards, but also noted it was “a genuine mistake.” BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips further stated the team would “learn from our mistakes,” but did not offer an actionable plan going forward.
Read the entire BAFTA Board statement, below:
Following the incident at the 79th British Academy Film Awards, the BAFTA Board commissioned an independent review by RISE Associates to examine what happened and what must change. The review, which is now complete, identified a number of structural weaknesses in BAFTA’s planning, escalation procedures and crisis coordination arrangements. However, it did not find evidence of malicious intent on the part of those involved in delivering the event. We accept its conclusions in full which can be read below.
We apologise unreservedly to the Black community, for whom the racist language used carries real pain, brutality, and trauma; to the disability community, including people with Tourette Syndrome, for whom this incident has led to unfair judgement, stigma, and distress; and to all our members, guests at the ceremony and those watching at home. What was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed. We have written to those directly impacted on the night to apologise.
The review is clear that while this was not a failure of intent, BAFTA’s planning and processes have not kept pace with its diversity and inclusion goals. We did not adequately anticipate or fully prepare for the impact of such an incident in a live event environment and as a result our duty of care to everyone at the ceremony and watching at home fell short.
Work is already underway to address the specific areas of improvement recommended in the review to reduce the risk of this happening again, namely around accessibility and inclusion planning, culture, and event communication and command structure.
First, we are improving escalation processes and the chain of information sharing around our Awards ceremonies.
Second, we are strengthening how we plan for and deliver access, inclusion and support at our events to adopt a broader intersectional approach so that the needs and experiences of all are properly considered in advance.
Third, we are addressing any internal cultural gaps or lack of knowledge that may prevent BAFTA from meeting its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion across all our work.
This work continues as a priority with the Executive Team reporting regularly on progress against all actions to the Board of Trustees.
We are determined to learn from what happened, and to ensure inclusion and belonging for all is meaningful in practice as well as in principle.
