Scottish Tourette’s syndrome activist John Davidson continues to prepare for his 2026 BAFTA dispute.
“When words come out that are not acceptable in society, the guilt and shame for a person with this condition is often unbearable and causes a lot of stress,” said Davidson, 54, in an interview. Variety published on Tuesday, February 24. “I cannot begin to describe how angry and frustrated I am as the influence from Sunday sinks in.”
Davidson has been in the news since Sunday, February 22, after yelling the N-word during Michael B. Jordan again Delroy Lindo they were on stage to present.
“The only time I realized that my tic had reached a stage was when Delroy and Michael B. Jordan appeared to be stepping up their role as the silencers, and soon after that I decided to leave the hall,” Davidson explained. His team confirmed it Variety that Davidson had reached out and apologized to both Jordan and Lindo, as well as the production designer Hannah Beachler.
“The real challenge is not the tics themselves, but the misconceptions surrounding them,” Davidson added. “Understanding the full spectrum of Tourette’s helps reduce stigma and supports everyone with the condition.”
Davidson also clarified that he shouted “probably 10 different words” during the awards ceremony.
“The IN-word was one of these, and I completely understand its importance in history and in today’s world, but many articles give the idea that I talked about in one Sunday,” he explained.
Davidson explained that the “nervousness” he experienced during the event was where his skills were introduced.
“As always, I felt a wave of shame and embarrassment hit me at the same time. You want the ground to swallow you. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to hide – just get away from all eyes,” he added. “I was hoping people would understand.”
Davidson was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome at the age of 12. His experience with neurosis inspired the film. I swearwho was nominated for multiple awards at the BAFTAs on Sunday.
Reality star Baylen Dupree is speaking out in defense of Tourette Syndrome advocate John Davidson after he made a racial slur as part of his Tourette performance at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards. “I need to talk about this as someone who lives with Tourette’s,” Dupree, 23, wrote in a statement shared with her. […]
After Davidson was heard shouting several offensive words during Sunday’s BAFTAs, the host Alan Cumming took the stage with a statement.
“You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This may be part of how Tourette’s syndrome presents itself to some people, as the film explores that,” Cumming told the crowd. “Thank you for your understanding and helping to create a respectful environment for everyone.”
In a second statement during Sunday’s broadcast, Cumming added: “Tourette’s syndrome is a disability and the things you have heard tonight are not happening, meaning that a person with Tourette’s syndrome cannot control their language,” “We are sorry if you are upset tonight.”
Davidson told Variety on Tuesday that he was “trying to calm down” before watching the awards show in a different location.
“I made the decision to leave so I wouldn’t offend again,” said Davidson. “BAFTA got a private room with a monitor where I watched some of the awards.”
He added, “The awards, honestly, have been kind of the highlight of my day-to-day life and it’s the reason that, most of my life, I’ve been afraid to leave the house – because I’m so worried and afraid of what I might do and how people might react.”
