‘Too many incidents’ at BBC, says Culture Secretary in wake of BAFTA racial slur broadcast
There have been “too many incidents” at the BBC of late, the Culture Secretary has said after the corporation broadcast a racial slur during its coverage of the BAFTAs.
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Lisa Nandy said she was “deeply concerned” by the incident and the Government was “not satisfied” with the corporation’s initial response.
Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson was heard shouting the N-word as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for special visual effects during the ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday.
The corporation’s executive complaints unit announced a “fast-tracked investigation” on Wednesday, saying it was a “serious mistake”.
Read more: Culture Secretary slams 'completely unacceptable' BBC for broadcasting racial slur during Baftas
Speaking during culture questions in the Commons on Thursday, Ms Nandy said: “I think it’s fair to say that this Government and I were not satisfied with the initial response from the BBC, and we do need to see much swifter action taken in these sorts of instances, and action that results in this not happening again.
“I think we’re all deeply concerned that there have been too many incidents of this kind.”
She added that culture minister Ian Murray has met with BAFTA to discuss how “we exercise a better duty of care to all concerned”.
She added: “We all want to make sure that the BAFTAs and all of our award ceremonies can be inclusive places where people with Tourette’s who’ve been shut out of society for too long can be fully included.”
Ms Nandy had been responding to a question from Nigel Huddleston, the shadow culture secretary, who called on the BBC and BAFTAs to apologise for the incident.
He said: “A great celebration of British creativity was marred by the unnecessary airing of involuntary comments by Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson.
“It appears a microphone was placed close to John, and some offensive comments were aired despite a two-hour delay.
“This no doubt well-intended attempt at inclusivity has caused great anxiety to John and great offence to many others.”
On Wednesday, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee wrote to outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie “seeking an explanation” for how a racial slur ended up in the broadcast “in spite of a two-hour time delay”.
Referencing Glastonbury Festival coverage, chairwoman of the committee Dame Caroline Dinenage said the “latest incident raises questions about the extent to which lessons have been learned and about the controls and systems you have in place to prevent such incidents”.
Mr Davidson was at the BAFTAs representing the film I Swear, which tells the story of his life with the condition, which he developed when he was 12.
In an interview with Variety, he said the BBC should have “worked harder” to ensure his racial slur was not broadcast, and that BAFTAs had said swearing would be edited out.
Film studio Warner Bros is believed to have raised immediate concerns about the racial slur and requested it be removed from the BBC broadcast, the Press Association understands, but it could still be heard when it aired two hours later.
The BBC has apologised for not editing the racial slur out of the broadcast and subsequently removed it from the version on iPlayer.
BAFTAs also issued an apology in the aftermath in which it said it “apologise unreservedly” to the actors who were on stage as well as “all those impacted”.
The BBC has been contacted for comment.
A BBC spokesperson previously said: “The BBC has been reviewing what happened at BAFTAs on Sunday evening.
“This was a serious mistake and the director-general has instructed the executive complaints unit (ECU) to complete a fast-tracked investigation and provide a full response to complainants.”