Alan Cumming Asks BAFTAs Audience for ‘Understanding’ After Mid-Show Slur from Tourette Syndrome Activist John Davidson

NEED TO KNOW

• BAFTA Awards host Alan Cumming apologized to the audience following several verbal outbursts from Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson

• Davidson yelled several expletives and a racial slur during the ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 22, per Variety

• Cumming additionally thanked the audience for their understanding after the incidents

Alan Cumming, who hosted the 2026 BAFTA Awards, thanked the audience for their understanding after Tourette syndrome advocate John Davidson yelled expletives and a racial slur during the show.

Davidson first began experiencing symptoms of Tourette syndrome (also called Tourette’s syndrome), which causes involuntary verbal and physical tics, at the age of 12. He was at the awards ceremony in London on Sunday, Feb. 22, to help represent the BAFTA-nominated film I Swear, which is a movie based on his life and experiences with the condition.

The event’s stage manager introduced Davidson, 54, to the audience prior to the show and alerted attendees that they might hear some “involuntary noises or movements” during the ceremony, per Variety.

At one point during the ceremony, Davidson could be heard yelling, “Shut the f-ck up,” during a speech from BAFTA chair Sara Putt, as well as “f-ck you” when the directors of the winner for Best Children’s and Family Film accepted their award.

Davidson also shouted a racial slur as actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for Best Visual Effects, per Variety.

Cumming, 61, took to the stage and addressed the audience following the incidents, noting that the film Davidson was there to represent that evening addressed the type of involuntary outbursts that audience members heard.

“You may have noticed some strong language in the background,” Cumming said, per Variety. “This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people, as the film explores that experience. Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

Cumming addressed the audience again later in the evening, this time apologizing to anyone who may have been offended by Davidson’s words.

“Tourette’s syndrome is a disability, and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight,” he said.

Representatives for BAFTA and Alan Cumming did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Davidson appeared to have left the audience during the second half of the show, per Variety.

Actor Robert Aramayo, who plays a young version of Davidson in I Swear, won the BAFTA for Best Actor, as well as the award for BAFTAs EE Rising Star.

During his acceptance speech for the latter award, he praised Davidson and called for greater understanding of his condition.

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“John Davidson is the most remarkable man I ever met,” Aramayo, 33, said. “He’s so forthcoming with education and he believes there should still be so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s.”

“I just want to say for people who are living with Tourette’s, it’s the buzz around them that helped define what their experience is, so to quote the film, ‘They need support and understanding,’ ” he added.

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