A racial slur shouted out by a man with Tourette syndrome interrupted the opening moments of Sunday's 79th British Academy Film Awards ceremony in London, halting proceedings during the presentation of the first prize of the night.
Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage to present the award for best visual effects when the incident occurred. A voice from the audience shouted the n-word, prompting the two men to pause before continuing with the live BBC-broadcast event.
CNN identified the person heard shouting as John Davidson, a Tourette's awareness campaigner and the subject of the British independent film "I Swear."
Tourette syndrome involves involuntary tics, sometimes including sudden vocal outbursts.
Ahead of the ceremony, Davidson told CNN he was concerned about the possibility of experiencing such symptoms during the event.
On the red carpet, Davidson said crowded settings can intensify his symptoms.
"Certain things — like today, lots of people around, I'm feeling very, you know, more tics in case I lash out. Different situations can trigger different emotions and tics and stuff," he said.
He also explained that Robert Aramayo, who portrays him in "I Swear," studied his experiences closely in preparation for the role.
According to Davidson, Aramayo asked: "When you have a tic do you know where it comes from? What about tic triggers?"
Organizers had alerted the audience before the ceremony that involuntary swearing or tics might occur.
Davidson received applause inside the venue. Later in the evening, Aramayo won the award for best actor.
Host Alan Cumming addressed the crowd after the disruption, asking for "understanding" regarding the "strong and offensive language."
"You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette's syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience," Cummings said, according to NBC News. "Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone."
The incident was included in the BBC One broadcast, which aired with a two-hour delay, and remained available on BBC iPlayer on Monday morning before the ceremony was removed.
In a statement issued afterward, the BBC apologized.
"We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer," a BBC spokesperson said. "Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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