John Davidson breaks silence over 2026 BAFTAs racial slur: 'Please, don't judge me'

John Davidson sparked uproar over his involuntary shouting of N-word – a racial slur – towards the stage of the 2026 BAFTAs where Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting a Best Visual Effects award.

The racial slur was part of several outbursts, according to a report, that occurred during the star-studded night due to his Tourette's syndrome. 

Breaking his silence over the controversy, he offers a glimpse into what happening internally when he blurted out the offensive words.

"Initially, my tics were noises and movements, but the more nervous I got, the more my tics ramped up. When my coprolalia tics came out, my stomach just dropped."

"As always, I felt a wave of shame and embarrassment hit me all at once. You want the floor to swallow you up. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to hide — just get away from all the eyes."

Davidson, who was at the 2026 BAFTAs for the film I Swear – loosely inspired by his life – said that when he shouted the N-word, his stomach churned.

" I was hoping people would understand. My mind was saying: These people have seen the film. They will know I can’t help this. They will know it’s not me. This is exactly why we are here. I was saying in my head, “Please don’t judge me." Please understand this isn’t who I am.”

The Tourette activist, in response attempted to diffuse the tension by leaving the venue.

"I was trying to calm myself down, to breathe, but ultimately, I made the decision to leave to not cause any more upset. BAFTA found a private room with a monitor where I watched the rest of the awards."

Davidson, elsewhere in the interview, also revealed that he personally approached Warner Bros – the studio behind Sinners – in a bid to apologize directly to Jordan and Lindo.