N-word shouted at BAFTAs: What is Tourette syndrome and can it make people say slurs?
"All I’m saying is let’s not misuse a medical condition to excuse harmful language," one online user said
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards were meant to be a celebratory night for cinema, including a historic win for director Ryan Coogler and a prize for Black Britain’s Wunmi Mosaku.
Instead, a moment during the ceremony has sparked debate and raised questions about disability, race and broadcast standards.
As Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took to the stage to present an award, the n-word was shouted from the audience.
Multiple outlets have identified the person responsible as John Davidson, a Tourette campaigner and the inspiration for the BAFTA-winning film I Swear, who also lives with Tourette syndrome.
Host Alan Cumming later acknowledged the “strong and offensive language” during the ceremony, stating: “The person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language. We apologise if you are offended tonight.”
The BBC subsequently apologised in a media statement, saying the outburst was linked to involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome and was “not intentional”.
The ceremony was pre-recorded before being edited for broadcast, prompting some viewers to question why the slur remained audible in the televised version, particularly as other remarks did not appear in the final edit.
The incident has prompted renewed discussion about Tourette syndrome, specifically a symptom known as coprolalia, and whether the condition can cause people to vocalise offensive language.
So what is Tourette syndrome, and can it result in someone shouting a racial slur?
What is Tourette syndrome?
Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition that causes involuntary movements and sounds known as tics. It usually begins in childhood and varies in severity.
Tics can include:
Motor tics, such as blinking, head jerking or shoulder shrugging
Vocal tics, such as throat clearing, grunting or repeating words and sounds
According to public health authorities, Tourette syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system and not a behavioural issue.
Can Tourette syndrome cause someone to shout the n-word?
Yes, according to medical experts, it is possible.
The explanation lies in a specific symptom known as coprolalia, a form of coprophenomena.
Coprophenomena refers to the involuntary expression of socially inappropriate words or gestures.
Coprolalia, the vocal form, involves people involuntarily saying taboo or offensive words. Tourettes Action, the charity, says coprolalia affects around 10-30% of people with Tourette syndrome.
Because coprolalia often involves language that carry strong social or emotional charge, involuntary outbursts can include profanity, sexual terminology or, in some cases, slurs.
Medical specialists stress that such vocal tics are not intentional and do not reflect a person’s beliefs.
However, the absence of intent does not erase impact.
Both realities can exist at once:
The utterance may be neurologically involuntary
The harm experienced by those who hear it, particularly when directed at Black individuals, is real
A neurological explanation does not remove the historical and cultural weight carried by a racist slur.
Why is this situation being debated?
The BAFTA ceremony was pre-recorded and later edited for broadcast.
Viewers have questioned why the n-word was audible in the televised version, while Akinola Davies Jr’s “free Palestine” remark, made in his acceptance speech for the best ‘Outstanding Debut’ prize, did not appear in the final cut.
Black Current News has put this question to the BBC.
The debate intensified after Academy Award-winning production designer Hannah Beachler, who is Black and worked on Sinners alongside Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan, said on social media that the slur was shouted three times during the evening, including once at her as she made her way to dinner and again at another Black woman.
“I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation,” she wrote, before criticising what she described as a “throw-away apology” of “if you were offended” from the awards’ host.
Her comments suggest the incident extended beyond a single on-stage moment, adding further context to how those targeted experienced it in real time.
The sensitivity around this topic
Tourette advocacy groups often push back against stigma, noting that many people wrongly assume outbursts are intentional.
At the same time, racial slurs carry a history of violence and dehumanisation.
This is why the conversation feels charged, sitting at the intersection of disability awareness, race and broadcast ethics.
What are Black people saying?
Reaction within Black online spaces has been varied and, at times, sharply divided.
Actor Jamie Foxx commented “unacceptable” beneath a post about the incident and later added, “nah he meant that,” reflecting scepticism among some that the outburst was purely involuntary.
One online user wrote: “Tourette’s is a neurological condition. Coprolalia is rare and even when someone has it, it doesn’t magically generate racial slurs that aren’t already in someone’s vocabulary. All I’m saying is let’s not misuse a medical condition to excuse harmful language”.
As referenced above, others have raised questions about why the slur wasn’t edited out of the broadcast.
At the same time, some commentators stressed that Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition and cautioned against dismissing medical explanations outright.
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Black online figures who identify as living with Tourette syndrome, including Jhónelle Bean and the user @Im6footseven, have stated that involuntary outbursts of this nature can occur as part of the condition.
Across the discussion, one theme has emerged repeatedly: that it is possible to acknowledge the neurological basis of Tourette syndrome while also recognising the harm caused when racial slurs are heard, particularly in a room where Black artists are being celebrated.
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