The BBC regrets its “serious mistake” during the BAFTAs broadcast, the corporation’s outgoing director general Tim Davie has said.
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.
In a letter to Dame Caroline Dinenage, chairwoman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Mr Davie said the BBC made a “genuine mistake” in allowing the racial slur to be broadcast.
He said: “I want to assure you that the BBC profoundly regrets the events around the broadcast of the BAFTAs on Sunday 22 February.
“The BBC has apologised for the serious mistake that was made, in allowing a racial slur to be broadcast and then remain on iPlayer overnight and into Monday morning.
“We understand the hurt and shock that the mistake caused. I’d like to make clear: although the racial slur was symptomatic of a disability and an involuntary tic, it should never have been broadcast.
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“It was a genuine mistake, and we take full responsibility for our error.”
It came as a message to BBC employees, seen by Sky News, reveals “frustration” within the corporation about the way the fall out from the controversy had been handled.
The email from BBC chief content officer, Kate Philips sent on Friday afternoon says an investigation into the BAFTAs broadcast is ongoing and acknowledges the “upset and hurt” caused.
Ms Philips also tells BBC staff: I’ve really appreciated your honesty as you’ve detailed the impact this has had.
“I know there is frustration that my first email didn’t give more detail, but I thought it was more important to reach out to you all at that point, than wait until I had a further update.”
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Mr Davie who announced his resignation in November – said that there were two incidents where a racial slur was shouted during the ceremony.
Regarding the incident where Jordan and Lindo were on stage, he said: “Although this is the subject of ongoing review, our initial evidence gathering has found that no one in the on-site broadcast truck heard this when they were watching the live feed.
“Because no one in the broadcast truck was aware it was on the live feed, there was therefore no editorial decision made to leave the language in.”
The BAFTAs programme was edited down from the three-hour live show filmed two hours earlier that evening, and went out on BBC1 at 7pm.
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Both Lindo and Jordan appeared to pause after the insult was heard, then continued their presentation.
Davidson, who was attending the ceremony as the inspiration behind the film I Swear, which dramatises his life, said he is “deeply mortified” his involuntary tics caused him to blurt out the offensive language.
The backlash to the incident overshadowed the film’s success at the ceremony, with relative newcomer Robert Aramayo, who plays Davidson, taking home the best actor award over the likes of Oscar favourite Timothee Chalamet and Hollywood royalty Leonardo DiCaprio.
