“I Swear” subject John Davidson said he is “deeply mortified” anyone might have interpreted his Tourette’s tics at the 2026 BAFTAs as “intentional or to carry any meaning” in his first public statement after Sunday’s ceremony.
“I wanted to thank BAFTA and everyone involved in the awards last night for their support and understanding and inviting me to attend the broadcast,” Davidson said Monday. “I appreciated the announcement to the auditorium in advance of the recording, warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs. I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me.”
Sunday’s BAFTAs were interrupted several times by Davidson’s tics, which manifested at one point in him shouting the N-word when “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage. Davidson was in attendance to support “I Swear,” the Kirk Jones-directed film about his life. Robert Aramayo, who plays Davidson in “I Swear,” took home the Best Leading Actor award Sunday for his performance in the film.
After Davidson’s involuntary outburst during Jordan and Lindo’s stage time, BAFTAs host Alan Cumming addressed the incident. “You may have noticed some strong language in the background there, this can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience,” Cumming told those in attendance. “Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”
“In addition to the announcement by Alan Cumming, the BBC and BAFTA, I can only add that I am, and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning,” Davidson said Monday. “I was in attendance to celebrate the film of my life, ‘I Swear,’ which more than any film or TV documentary, explains the origins, condition, traits and manifestations of Tourette Syndrome.”
“I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness and understanding from others and I will continue to do so,” Davidson’s statement continued. The Tourette’s advocate noted that he eventually removed himself from the main BAFTAs room, concluding, “I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”
Davidson’s statement came the same morning that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts formally addressed the controversy. “We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation, and we apologise to all,” the organization said in its own statement. “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.”
The BAFTAs incident has caused a storm of controversy online. While many have come to Davidson’s defense, others have criticized the BBC and the BAFTAs‘ decision to initially air the moment with Jordan and Lindo uncensored, despite the delayed nature of the show’s broadcast. At a party after the ceremony, Lindo reportedly told Vanity Fair that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” to push through the difficult moment. The actor admitted that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards.”
