BBC 'haven't learned the lessons from Glastonbury', insists Kemi Badenoch after Tourette's slur row
The Corporation has been criticised for failing to edit out John Davidson shouting the N-word as Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan presented the award for special visual effects during Sunday's ceremony
Kemi Badenoch has slammed the BBC for its handling of a Tourette's campaigner shouting out a racial slur during the BAFTAs, claiming "they haven't learned the lessons from Glastonbury".
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The Corporation has been criticised for failing to edit out John Davidson shouting the N-word as Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan presented the award for special visual effects during Sunday's ceremony.
Davidson has said he is "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning", but questions have been raised about how the incident was handled on the night and why it was left in the broadcast, which aired two hours later.
Read more: Tourette syndrome campaigner 'deeply mortified' by his N-word interruption at BAFTAs
The BBC has since apologised for not editing the racial slur out of the delayed broadcast, but Conservative Party leader Badenoch said the error was "really shocking and embarrassing".
She compared the broadcaster's blunder to that of the Glastonbury 2025 scandal, in which Beeb bosses were branded anti-Semitic for continuing to show Bob Vylan's set while the band led the crowd in "death, death, death to the IDF" chants.
"It's quite clear that they [BBC] haven't learned the lessons from Glastonbury," Ms Badenoch told LBC's George Ellison.
"I think it was really shocking and embarrassing for those presenters to have had that happen. But those things happen in real life. There's no reason for it to have been broadcast."
Her words came after a BAFTA judge announced he was stepping down over the the "utterly unforgivable" handling of the situation by the BBC.
Judge Jonte Richardson, 54, announced he was withdrawing rom BAFTA's emerging talent judging panel in the wake of the body's handling of the incident, adding: "The BAFTA apology is considerably better than the BBC mumbled sidestepping".
Taking to LinkedIn, the award-winning writer, director and producer branded the UK film industry "unapologetically racist", explaining: "I cannot and will not contribute my time, energy and expertise to an organisation that has repeatedly failed to safeguard the dignity of its Black guests, members and the Black creative community."
A film based on Davidson’s life, titled ‘I Swear’, won several awards during Sunday night’s show, including Brit Robert Aramayo winning the Leading Actor award for his portrayal of the activist.
Sinners’ stars Jordan and Lindo did not react to the involuntary tic, but the moment prompted fury online.
Viewers of the ceremony were quick to point out that the BBC had two hours to edit the outburst from the broadcast before the ceremony was aired to millions around the world.
The incident saw BAFTA host Alan Cumming forced to issue an apology to BAFTA attendees after the outburst.
it is understood Warner Bros raised immediate concerns about the racial slur to the BBC and asked for it to be removed from the broadcast.
Officials from Warner Bros, the film studio behind Sinners, spoke directly with Bafta staff following the incident during the ceremony and requested it be removed from the broadcast, which aired on the BBC later that night.
Sources say Warner Bros representatives were reassured this request would be passed on and Bafta was in touch with the studio throughout the evening.
Warner Bros, the BBC, production company Penny Lane and Bafta have been contacted for comment.
In a statement, Davidson said he was "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning".
The BBC later apologised for "any offence caused" by the slur.
“I'm sure they're already having an internal investigation," Ms Badenoch said.
"I think that an apology has been made and let's see what happens. Why did this happen? The BBC has so many long-running problems. It's enough to occupy someone in a full-time job."