Trending Now - Baftas and SNL Face Criticism for Offensive Moments
WHO:
John Davidson: Tourette syndrome advocate and inspiration for the BAFTA-nominated biopic "I Swear."
Michael B. Jordan: Actor who was presenting at the BAFTA Awards.
Delroy Lindo: Actor who was presenting at the BAFTA Awards.
Jayme Lawson: Actress from "Sinners" who commented on the BAFTA incident.
Emma McNally: CEO of Tourette Action, a charity supporting individuals with Tourette syndrome.
Alan Cumming: Host of the BAFTA Awards.
Tourettes Action: Charity organization supporting individuals with Tourette syndrome.
NBC: Network that airs "Saturday Night Live" (SNL).
Various celebrities impersonated in the SNL sketch: Mel Gibson, J.K. Rowling, Armie Hammer, Louis C.K., Bill Cosby, Kanye West.
WHAT:
On February 22, 2026, during the BAFTA Awards, John Davidson shouted a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage.
Davidson has a form of Tourette syndrome called coprolalia, which involves involuntary use of offensive language.
The BBC issued an apology for not censoring the racial slur during the BAFTA broadcast.
A sketch on SNL aired on February 28, 2026, mocking the BAFTA incident and featuring celebrities claiming their controversial actions were due to Tourette syndrome.
Tourettes Action condemned the SNL sketch as "not acceptable" and criticized the mocking of a disability.
Alan Cumming described the BAFTA incident as a "trauma triggering sh*tshow" in an Instagram post on March 2, 2026.
Davidson expressed feelings of shame and embarrassment after the incident and stated that his tics are involuntary and not reflective of his beliefs.
WHERE:
BAFTA Awards: British Academy Film Awards held in the UK.
"Saturday Night Live": NBC television show.
WHEN:
February 22, 2026: Date of the BAFTA Awards incident.
February 28, 2026: Date of the SNL episode featuring the controversial sketch.
March 2, 2026: Date of Alan Cumming's Instagram apology.
WHY:
The incident at the BAFTAs highlighted issues of inclusion and the treatment of individuals with disabilities in public spaces.
The SNL sketch was intended to satirize celebrities using Tourette syndrome as an excuse for their past behavior.
HOW:
Davidson's involuntary outbursts during the BAFTA Awards were a result of his Tourette syndrome.
The SNL sketch was cut for time but later shared on YouTube, where it gained significant views.
During the BAFTA Awards on February 22, 2026, John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome advocate, shouted a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage, an outburst attributed to his condition known as coprolalia. Following the incident, the BBC issued an apology for failing to censor the offensive language during the live broadcast. In response to the controversy, "Saturday Night Live" aired a sketch on February 28 that mocked the incident, featuring celebrities claiming their controversial actions were due to Tourette syndrome, which prompted Tourettes Action to condemn the sketch as unacceptable. Alan Cumming later described the BAFTA incident as a "trauma triggering sh*tshow" in an Instagram post on March 2, while Davidson expressed feelings of shame and embarrassment, clarifying that his tics do not reflect his beliefs. This incident has sparked discussions about inclusion and the treatment of individuals with disabilities in public spaces.