The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit reported that members of the production team “say they did not hear or recognize the N-word” during the broadcast.

BBC investigation finds BAFTA Awards’ ‘highly offensive’ airing of uncensored N-word ‘had no editorial justification’

The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit reported that members of the production team "say they did not hear or recognize the N-word" during the broadcast.

Joey Nolfi

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes RuPaul’s Drag Race video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

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April 8, 2026 11:27 a.m. ET

Alan Cumming and John Davidson at 2026 BAFTA Awards. Credit:

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty; Jeff Spicer/Getty

The BBC has released its findings following an investigation into the recent BAFTA Awards' controversy involving the uncensored airing of the N-word during the 2026 broadcast.

Per a report released Wednesday by the British broadcaster, the BBC's Executive Complaints Unit found that "the inclusion of the N-word in the broadcast" was "highly offensive, had no editorial justification, and represented a breach of the BBC's editorial standards, but that the breach was unintentional."

The report noted that "members of the production team who were monitoring the event in the outside broadcast vehicle all say they did not hear or recognize the N-word" when *I Swear* inspiration and BAFTA Awards attendee John Davidson (who has Tourette syndrome) shouted the slur during the telecast while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented on stage.

Further, the BBC doubled down on its findings that the breach was unintentional because, as the report outlined, Davidson's second use of the N-word on the show was "immediately edited out in accordance with the protocols on offensive language."

Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo at 2026 BAFTA Awards.

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

The network also revealed that it only received "one complaint from a viewer about the use of the N-word in the segment of the program concerned while the program was still on air," and one more "very shortly after" the BAFTA Awards ended.

"While this tends to support the view that the word was almost unintelligible (because we would expect a use of the word which had been clear to viewers in general to have caused a large number of complaints during the broadcast and immediately afterwards), it also means that we cannot say it was entirely so," the report continued.

In response to the word not being edited out of the BAFTA Awards' subsequent upload to the BBC iPlayer streaming service, the ECU found that "there was a breach of the BBC's editorial standards" as a result.

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The report pointed out a "lack of clarity among the team as to whether the N-word was audible on the recording," which led to a delay in removal until 9:30 a.m. the following day.

The ECU called this "a serious mistake" and "the fact that the unedited recording remained available for so long aggravated the offense caused by the inadvertent inclusion of the N-word in the broadcast."

Finally, with regard to "many complaints" over "the excision of part of Akinola Davies Jr.'s acceptance speech" that saw the recipient exclaim "free Palestine" at the event, the BBC's ECU found that "the production team’s decision did not hinge on considerations of impartiality" and instead acted on the notion that "material had to be edited to fit a two-hour transmission slot" from the three-hour broadcast.

John Davidson attends the 2026 BAFTAs.

Carlo Paloni/BAFTA via Getty

"The priority in the editing was to focus on the main thrust of the event, namely the content being celebrated," the report's initial portion concluded.

The BBC announced further actions taken as a result of the report, including strengthening "pre-event assessment of potential on-air risks, mitigations, and escalations" as well as reviewing "effective monitoring" of live network events.

"The process for implementing the policy on revoking content on BBC iPlayer is being recommunicated internally to ensure effective removal of programming from the service where necessary," the report continued. "In addition, the BBC’s Chief Content Officer has sent letters of apology to Delroy Lindo, Michael B. Jordan, and John Davidson."

Jordan and Lindo's *Sinners* costar and fellow Oscar nominee Wunmi Mosaku later shared her reaction to the incident's inclusion in the BAFTA telecast. "That's the bit that kept me awake at night and brought tears to my eyes," she told *Entertainment Tonight*. "You really chose to keep that in?

Alan Cumming hosting the 2026 BAFTA Awards.

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

Lindo addressed the controversy at the NAACP Awards: "I'd just like to officially say, I appreciate — *we* appreciate — all the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend," Lindo said at the event. "It means a lot to us. It is an honor to be here amongst our people this evening, among so many people who have shown us such incredible support."

In an interview with *Variety*, Davidson said of the incident, "I can't begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in," adding, "I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel, or believe. It's an involuntary neurological misfire. My tics are not an intention, not a choice, and not a reflection of my values."

Following the BAFTAs, ceremony host Alan Cumming — who attempted to address the incident on stage — eventually elaborated in a social media post by calling the developments a "trauma triggering s‑‑‑show."

The Scottish star wrote, "I'm so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt hearing that word echoed round the world. I'm so sorry the [Tourette's] community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition."**

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