Variety

by Naman Ramachandran

February 23, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

The BBC has issued an apology after failing to edit out a racial slur from its tape-delayed broadcast of the BAFTA Film Awards. The incident occurred during the ceremony when John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome advocate and subject of the biopic *I Swear*, emitted an involuntary vocal tic that included the N-word. This happened as actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the award for best visual effects, which was ultimately won by *Avatar: Fire and Ash*. Following criticism, the BBC removed the awards show from iPlayer and later promised to edit the slur out of the version available on the platform. The BBC’s failure to catch the offensive language during its two-hour tape delay has raised questions about its editing processes. While the slur was barely audible during the live broadcast, it was clearly captured in the BBC’s coverage. This incident is particularly concerning because editors typically use the buffer time to identify and remove such content. The BBC acknowledged the mistake, stating that the outburst was involuntary and not intentional, but emphasized that it should have been removed before broadcast. This issue follows a similar controversy last summer when the BBC allowed offensive language to remain online for hours during a live iPlayer stream of a Glastonbury Festival performance by punk rap duo Bob Vylan. The band led the crowd in chanting “Death to the IDF,” prompting criticism and demands for accountability from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In response, the BBC revised its livestreaming protocols, but this latest incident highlights ongoing challenges in ensuring

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Originally published on Variety on 2/23/2026