Director Kirk Jones Criticizes Baftas Over Broadcast Incident
Kirk Jones, director of the Bafta-winning film I Swear, expressed that John Davidson was "let down" after a racist slur uttered by the Tourette's campaigner was broadcast during the BBC's coverage of the Bafta ceremony held on Sunday.
Jones told the Telegraph that he initially believed the slur, which occurred while black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage, had been contained within the auditorium.
"I think John was let down on many, many levels," Jones told the newspaper. "And I think the fact that that [tic] went out for broadcast was perhaps one of the worst ways in which he was let down on the night."
Davidson's condition involves involuntary verbal tics, and the audience had been informed they might hear some during the event.
Earlier this week, Davidson told Variety:
"I remember there was a microphone just in front of me, and with hindsight I have to question whether this was wise, so close to where I was seated, knowing I would tic."
Bafta informed the BBC on Friday that they investigated the microphone in question and assured StudioCanal, the production company behind I Swear, that it was not amplifying the sound in the room or the broadcast.
They clarified that it was an analyser microphone used to monitor the loudness in the room for "equalisation purposes."
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy condemned the broadcast of the slur as "completely unacceptable and harmful," stating she had spoken with BBC Director General Tim Davie and emphasized that the "BBC must ensure that this never happens again."
The BBC issued an apology, describing the incident as "a serious mistake." They announced that Davie had instructed the Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) to "complete a fast-tracked investigation and provide a full response to complainants."
Bafta also released a statement acknowledging the harm caused, committing to address the incident and apologizing to all affected. They assured members that a comprehensive review is underway.
Film's Success Amid Controversy
I Swear won three awards during the ceremony, including Best Actor and Rising Star for Robert Aramayo's lead performance, as well as Best Casting.
Jones, known for directing Nanny McPhee and My Big Fat Wedding 2, told the Telegraph he had assumed the slur would not be broadcast and celebrated the film's success that evening.
He only became aware that the slur had been aired on television when he saw messages on his phone around 03:00 GMT, including notifications from the United States as the news spread internationally.
Jones said he "didn't sleep for two nights" after the ceremony was broadcast.
The broadcast sparked global headlines and extensive commentary on the incident and how it might have been prevented.
He said he "understands both sides of the argument," but maintained that the slur should not have been broadcast in the first place.
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx posted on Instagram earlier in the week, calling the slur "unacceptable."
Some online commentators suggested Davidson, who served as an executive producer on the film, should not have been invited to the ceremony. However, Jones emphasized:
"The overriding irony is that this is the reason why we made the film in the first place."
He continued: "People were saying things like, 'He must be able to stop himself, he must be racist, otherwise he wouldn't even be thinking of that word. He's putting it on. It's just a mask.'"
"It just suddenly felt really old fashioned," Jones said. "It felt like I'd gone back 20 years."
Reactions and Aftermath
Davidson later told Variety he experienced a "wave of shame and embarrassment" following the incident.
"The most offensive word that I ticked at the ceremony, for example, is a word I would never use and would completely condemn if I did not have Tourette's."
Hannah Beachler, production designer for the film Sinners, posted on social media after the ceremony:
"The situation is almost impossible, but it happened three times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show."
Labour MP Dawn Butler wrote to the BBC requesting an "urgent explanation" as to why the slur was broadcast despite the show being aired on a delay.
BBC Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips told staff the corporation takes "full responsibility" for the incident, noting that another racial slur had been edited out of the broadcast.
"The one shouted when Lindo and Jordan were on stage was aired in error and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast," she said.
Jones also mentioned that Davidson's bike was stolen on the night of the awards but was later recovered by police.
"Any day in his life can turn out like that," Jones said. "It can be good bits, and then it can be awful bits and aggressive bits and upsetting bits. And that's just what the Tourette's does. It's nasty."
He added that the Bafta incident had at least raised awareness and made Tourette's "a very public subject in a very short space of time."
