The racial slur hurled against “Sinners” co-stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the BBC’s BAFTAs broadcast on Sunday was not the only one audibly said during the ceremony.
Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips revealed in a memo to staff Tuesday that a second racial slur was removed from the BBC’s awards broadcast before the second shouted by Tourette’s advocate John Dickinson was included “in error.”
Phillips sent an internal note to BBC staff following the airing of the N-word during the BAFTAs, saying that “the edit team removed another racial slur from the broadcast” and missed the second one directed at the “Sinners” actors while they presented onstage.
“This one was aired in error and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast,” Phillips said, addressing widespread backlash and accusations of racism within the company. “We take full responsibility for what happened. When I was made aware it was audible on iPlayer, I asked for it to be taken down. As I’m sure you’re aware we put out a statement yesterday morning apologising that the remark was not edited out prior to broadcast.”
Representatives for the BBC declined to detail the context around the second incident, including whether or not it was said by Dickinson, who was in attendance as the real-life subject of BAFTA-winning biopic “I Swear.”
The BBC was heavily criticized this week after airing the BAFTAs with a slur in the final edit, despite being on a two-hour delay. Social media users noted that, while the N-word made it into the final broadcast, the words “Free Palestine” were censored from Akinola Davies Jr.’s speech after he won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer with his brother, Wale.
“Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards,” a BBC spokesperson said. “This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”
BAFTA faced similar criticism following the ceremony for the steps it took after the incident involving Davidson and the “Sinners” cast. Lindo said that he and Jordan “did what we had to do,” but that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.” “Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler, meanwhile, criticized the explanation given by host Alan Cumming during the ceremony itself.
“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 the crowd. “Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”
“I keep trying to write about what happened at the BAFTAs, and I can’t find the words,” Beachler wrote on X Monday. “The situation is almost impossible, but it happened three times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show and a third time at a Black woman.
“I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throw away apology of ‘if you were offended’ at the end of the show.”
You can read Phillips’ full memo to BBC staff on the matter below:
Afternoon everyone,
I wanted to write to you following Sunday’s BAFTA Film Awards.
I’m so sorry that a racial slur was not edited out of our broadcast. We understand how distressing this was. Award attendees were pre-warned about the possibility of involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette Syndrome at the start of the show, and Alan Cumming addressed it during the broadcast. Of course, this doesn’t lessen the impact and upset.
The edit team removed another racial slur from the broadcast. This one was aired in error and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast. We take full responsibility for what happened. When I was made aware it was audible on iPlayer, I asked for it to be taken down. As I’m sure you’re aware we put out a statement yesterday morning apologising that the remark was not edited out prior to broadcast.
I wrote to our Embrace network colleagues yesterday and am grateful for their thoughtful responses to me. Please know that you can reach out to me, or to any member of our ExCo team, if you’d like to talk further about this.
Again, I am so very sorry for the distress caused.
Kate
