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BAFTA's broadcast blunders: Offensive language, censored speech
23 Feb
Summary
- Involuntary slurs and offensive language were broadcast on BBC.
- A winner's speech mentioning 'free Palestine' was edited out.
- The BBC has apologized for offensive language heard during the event.
The BAFTA Film Awards ceremony, broadcast with a delay, encountered significant controversy on 2026-02-23. During the event, Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, the subject of the biopic I Swear, involuntarily shouted remarks from the audience, including the N-word at one point.
While the comment was not clearly audible, it was present in the BBC's recorded coverage. The BBC issued an apology, stating the language resulted from involuntary verbal tics and was unintentional. Host Alan Cumming also apologized for any offense caused by strong language heard during the ceremony.
Compounding the issue, a winner's speech by Akinola Davies Jr. that contained the phrase "free Palestine" was edited out of the broadcast. This edit, alongside the handling of Davidson's involuntary remarks, led to criticism regarding censorship and the appropriateness of the BAFTA's apology.
