A charity has spoken in defense of Tourette’s activist John Davidson after his outburst at the 2026 BAFTA awards ceremony, describing the backlash as “extremely saddening”. The statement arrives after Jamie Foxx claimed Davidson “meant” what he said.
Davidson has spent his life campaigning for awareness and understanding about the syndrome, having come-of-age at a time when Tourette’s was largely unknown. This culminated in the biographical 2025 movie I Swear starring Robert Aramayo.
The real Davidson was able to attend the 2026 BAFTAs alongside the cast and crew. He experienced a series of tics throughout the event, including shouting the n-word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting an award.
Although Davidson left 25 minutes into the ceremony, shortly after the Jordan and Lindo incident, an uncensored version was uploaded to BBC iPlayer and remained overnight, leading to a significant backlash online.
Tourette’s charity defends John Davidson after BAFTAs backlash
Jamie Foxx chimed in on the situation, writing in the comments section of an Instagram post, “Unacceptable,” and, “Nah, he meant that sh*t.” Now, UK charity Tourettes Action has addressed the incident and spoken in support of Davidson.
A spokesperson said that it was “incredibly proud” of the achievement of Davidson and everyone involved in the making of I Swear.
“The film has already raised so much awareness about Tourette syndrome and the daily reality faced by those living with the condition,” they wrote.
The charity continued, “We also want to address the negative comments that have surfaced following John’s involuntary vocal tics during the ceremony.
“We deeply understand that these words can cause hurt and we are deeply sorry to the Black community for the harm caused but at the same time, it is vital that the public understands a fundamental truth about Tourette syndrome: tics are involuntary.
“They are not a reflection of a person’s beliefs, intentions, or character. People with Tourette’s can say words or phrases they do not mean, do not endorse, and feel great distress about afterwards.
“These symptoms are neurological, not intentional, and they are something John – like many others with Tourette’s – lives with every single day.”
Tourettes Action went on to say, “The backlash from certain parts of the media has been extremely saddening, particularly given how hard John works to raise awareness and understanding.
“What should have been a night of celebration for him became overwhelming, and he made the difficult decision to leave the ceremony halfway through. This moment reflects exactly what I Swear shows so openly: the isolation, misunderstanding, and emotional weight that so often accompany this condition.
“People with Tourette’s manage their physical and social environments and symptoms on a constant basis. The price of being misunderstood is increased isolation, risk of anxiety and depression and death by suicide.
“We hope that those commenting will take the time to watch the film, learn about Tourette’s, and understand the experiences behind moments like these. Education is key, and compassion makes a world of difference.”
Davidson himself addressed the backlash, saying in a statement, “In addition to the announcement by Alan Cumming, the BBC and BAFTA, I can only add that I am, and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”
“I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness and understanding from others and I will continue to do so,” he added.
“I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”
Amid the backlash, the BBC issued its own apology for failing to censor the racial slurs from the 2026 BAFTAs broadcast while removing it from its streaming service, iPlayer.
The broadcaster issued the following statement: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards.
“This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”
Following the ceremony, Delroy Lindo told Vanity Fair that he and Michael B. Jordan “did what we had to do” while presenting on stage, but that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.”
How to watch I Swear in the US
Interest in I Swear has risen after the movie’s win at the BAFTAs. If you’re in the US, there’s no way to watch it right now. However, the film is heading to Netflix UK on March 10, meaning you’ll be able to watch it on the streaming service by using a VPN.
If you can’t use this method, it is expected to drop on Netflix US in mid-to-late 2026.
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