Delroy Lindo Applauded After Addressing Racial Slur at BAFTAs

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While on stage at the NAACP Image Awards on February 28, 2026, actor Delroy Lindo received a standing ovation after addressing the controversy at this year’s BAFTAs. During the ceremony on February 22, a racial slur was shouted from the audience while Lindo and Sinners co-star Michael B. Jordan were presenting an award. The remark was made by John Davidson, a Scottish activist with Tourette syndrome, an often misunderstood neurological condition that can cause involuntary vocal tics.

Davidson had been invited to the ceremony as a representative of the BAFTA-nominated film I Swear, which draws on his life and experiences with Tourette syndrome. Although organizers had informed attendees that his condition could result in involuntary outbursts, the audience was nonetheless shocked when he unexpectedly shouted the n-word while Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were on stage.

Many people later reached out to Lindo and Jordan after the show to express their support. Speaking onstage at the NAACP Image Awards alongside Sinners director Ryan Coogler, Lindo thanked the audience, saying the encouragement he received after the BAFTAs helped shift a difficult moment into something more uplifting.

“We appreciate all the support and love that we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend,” he said. “It means a lot to us. It is an honor to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who’ve shown us such incredible support.” The actor added, “It’s a classic case of something that could have been very negative, becoming very positive.”

The BBC and BAFTA both apologized for not editing the offensive language, which somehow stayed in the delayed broadcast. The broadcaster explained that the remark had been included unintentionally and that the production team responsible for editing the program had not caught it before it aired. “We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologize to all,” said BAFTA. “We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”

Davidson also reached out to the Sinners team to apologize. “When socially unacceptable words come out, the guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress,” Davidson explained. “I can’t begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in.”