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Tourette’s syndrome activist John Davidson, the inspiration behind Kirk Jones' Scottish biographical film I Swear, was heard cursing multiple times during the BAFTA Awards 2026. The strong language was an involuntary outburst, a result of a motor disorder, and is known as tics.
Common tics include coughing, throat clearing, facial movements, and sniffing. They can even be phonetic, as seen in John Davidson's case during the live ceremony.
During the first 20 minutes of the BAFTA Awards 2026, John Davidson was heard shouting ''Boring'' as the guests were taken through housekeeping rules and ''Bullsh*t'' when they were asked not to curse. These involuntary outbursts of swearing continued when BAFTA chair Sara Putt made her introductory remarks as Davidson shouted, ''Shut the f*ck up''.
The audience and guests were visibly shocked when John Davidson shouted the n-word while Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan presented the BAFTA Award for best visual effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash.
More on the BAFTA Awards 2026 in our story.
Host Alan Cumming urged guests to understand John Davidson's outbursts during the BAFTA Awards 2026
As the microphones kept on picking up John Davidson's involuntary swearing, the BAFTA Awards 2026 host Alan Cumming urged the guests to understand his condition and raised awareness about Tourette’s syndrome:
“You may have noticed some strong language in the background there, 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.”
Later, Cumming even apologized to the guests on John Davidson's behalf, reiterating that the Tourette's syndrome tics are involuntary:
“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.”
John Davidson was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome at the age of 25. Actor Robert Aramayo, who portrays Davidson in I Swear, won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor over Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, and Timothee Chalamet.
I Swear, which premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, explores John Davidson's life and struggles with the syndrome. The film also stars Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, and Peter Mullan. Jones' film bagged two awards at the BAFTA Awards 2026, with Lauren Evans nabbing the trophy for Best Casting.
In addition to Cumming's apology, Aramayo praised John Davidson as he accepted the BAFTA Rising Star Award on stage:
“John Davidson is the most remarkable man I ever met. He’s so forthcoming with education and he believes there should be still so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s. For people living with Tourette’s, it’s us around them who help them define what their experience is. So, to quote the film, they need support and understanding.”
This incident at the BAFTA Awards 2026 is garnering mixed reactions online. While some have criticized the network for airing Davidson’s involuntary outbursts unedited, others have praised the move for bringing much-needed awareness to the syndrome.
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