'I Swear' director upset over racial slur airing at BAFTAs
Kirk Jones, director of the BAFTA-winning film I Swear, is upset with BAFTA and the BBC for broadcasting a moment when Tourette's activist John Davidson involuntarily blurted out a racial slur during the awards show.
The incident happened on February 22, 2026, and occurred while Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage—even though attendees had been warned about Davidson's tics.
Jones thought the slur was contained to the auditorium
Jones only realized the incident went public after getting messages in the middle of the night.
He initially thought the slur had been contained within the auditorium.
He said he didn't sleep for two nights.
'Context matters,' Jones said
Jones criticized the broadcast of the slur as "one of the worst ways" they could have handled things, saying both Davidson and others were let down.
He added that context matters.
The incident has sparked official reviews by BBC and BAFTA
The incident has sparked official reviews by both BBC and BAFTA.
Davidson is central to I Swear—a film about his life—which recently won awards.