Cumming originally apologized for attendee John Davidson, who has Tourette’s, shouting the slur toward Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the ceremony.

BAFTAs host Alan Cumming calls it a ‘s‑‑‑show’ after N-word debacle: ‘We were all let down’

Cumming originally apologized for attendee John Davidson, who has Tourette's, shouting the slur toward Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the ceremony.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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on March 2, 2026 8:27 p.m. ET

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Alan Cumming hosting the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards. Credit:

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

Alan Cumming is finally breaking his silence over a 2026 BAFTA Awards attendee shouting the N-word toward presenters Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan from the crowd.

"It's now a week since I hosted the BAFTAs. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering s‑‑‑show," he wrote on Instagram in a four-slide post featuring pictures of him hosting the ceremony overlaid with text.

The Scottish star continued, "I'm so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt hearing that word echoed round the world. I'm so sorry the [Tourette's] community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition."

Feb. 22's ceremony marked the first hosted by Cumming, who is no stranger to the gig as the celebrated host of the reality series *The Traitors*. He reasoned as the post continued that "the only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured."

Speaking bluntly, Cumming concluded, "We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night's events."

Delroy Lindo calls out BAFTA response to N-word controversy at awards show

Tourette's activist John Davidson speaks out after saying N-word at BAFTA Awards

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John Davidson, an English Tourette's advocate who also lives with the neurodevelopmental condition, attended the 2026 BAFTAs due to nominated film *I Swear *being largely inspired by his life.

Cumming initially apologized on stage after Davidson could be heard shouting slurs and other curses from the audience. "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," he explained. "We apologize if you are offended tonight."

Alan Cumming on stage at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards.

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

The BBC, however, drew serious ire when it chose to air Davidson's overheard slur directed at Lindo and Jordan after a two-hour delay.

Lindo, who attended the ceremony with Jordan and others representing the nominated cast and crew of *Sinners*, called out the BAFTAs for not being more accountable after the incident, saying he wished "someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterwards. Davidson, meanwhile, has issued several explanations and apologies for his words, saying first he would be "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning."

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