BAFTAs host Alan Cumming has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the broadcast of the awards, describing it as a “trauma triggering shitshow”.
During the ceremony, as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award on stage, a racial slur was shouted out by Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson, who was there to celebrate a film about his life.
The BBC failed to cut the slur from its broadcast of the 22 February event and viewers could see the offending moment for more than 12 hours before the programme was taken down from BBC iPlayer. By then, the incident was starting to make headlines and create online discourse around the world.
Cumming, an actor and presenter who hosts the US Traitors, has now released a statement, saying: “It’s now a week since I hosted the BAFTAs. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering shitshow.
“I’m so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I’m so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition.”
Cumming said the “only possible good” to come out of the incident is “a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured”.
The BBC has said it did cut a second racist slur from the ceremony. Other moments, including a call to “free Palestine” by director Akinola Davies Jr, were also edited out.
Cumming finished by referencing this, saying: “We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night’s events.”
The presenter apologised on stage for the language viewers may have heard during the ceremony, but this is his first statement addressing the fallout.
Lindo says support ‘means a lot’
At the weekend, Lindo was in California where he appeared at the NAACP Image Awards, which celebrates outstanding achievements and performances of black and minority ethnic people in the arts.
The British-born US actor addressed the incident while on stage with Sinners director Ryan Coogler, saying: “We appreciate – I appreciate – all of the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend, it means a lot to us.
“It is an honour to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who have shown us such incredible support.
“And it’s a classic case of something that could’ve been very negative becoming very positive. Thank you so much for the support.”
Lindo praised the ceremony as “a room where being fully seen is not rare, but it is expected”.
Read more:
John Davidson on I Swear
Who is Robert Aramayo?
What have the BBC and BAFTA said?
The BBC and BAFTA both apologised in statements released last week. The BBC later described the incident as a “serious mistake” and said it was carrying out a “fast-tracked” investigation.
Davidson, whose Tourette’s causes him to involuntarily shout out words, has said he is “deeply mortified” by what happened.
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He was at the ceremony to celebrate I Swear, a film about his life and struggles, which was nominated for several awards and went home with two – best casting and best actor for Robert Aramayo.
Aramayo plays Davidson in the film and beat the likes of Hollywood stars Timothee Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio to win the award.
