Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler publicly criticized BAFTA’s handling of a racial-slur outburst during Sunday night’s awards, calling the host’s onstage comment a “throw-away apology” and saying the moment left Black attendees — including her — wounded. Beachler said the slur was shouted at least three times that night and that one instance was aimed at her as she left the ceremony. 

Beachler tweeted: “I keep trying to write about what happened at the BAFTAs, and I can’t find the words. The situation is almost impossible, but it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.

And a third time at a Black woman. I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throw-away apology of ‘if you were offended’ at the end of the show.

Of course we were offended…but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened. I am not [steel], this did not bounce off of me, but I exist above it. It can’t take away from who I am as an artist.”

The incident involved John Davidson, an audience member with Tourette syndrome, who involuntarily repeated a racial epithet while two Black actors, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting. 

The BBC broadcast the tape-delayed ceremony without removing the outburst. The network has since apologized and removed the clip from its streaming platform. BAFTA also issued an apology and thanked Jordan and Lindo for their professionalism. A BBC spokesperson said, “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards 2026. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologise for any offence caused by the language heard.”

Davidson later said he was mortified and stressed the verbal tics were involuntary. Still, many in the industry — from actors to designers — pushed back on what they called an insufficient immediate response and urged BAFTA and broadcasters to do better by those targeted. 

Jordan and Lindo were indeed professional and did their best to ignore Davidson’s outburst while onstage. Lindo addressed the N-word being used in an interview with Vanity Fair. The veteran actor said he and Jordan “did what we had to do” but wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards.”

The controversy juxtaposed a winning night for “Sinners.” The vampire epic collected major awards, leaving some attendees feeling as though Ryan Coogler’s film achievements were overshadowed by the episode and the debate over broadcast accountability. Industry figures continue to call for clearer protocols for live and delayed telecasts as there was editorial inconsistency. Organizers edited out other controversial onstage remarks — including a “Free Palestine” shoutout — but left the slur in the broadcast, a choice that intensified backlash and raised questions about how the ceremony prioritized what to erase.