Guest with Tourette Syndrome Utters Racial Slur at BAFTA Ceremony, BAFTA Apologizes

In Brief

A guest with Tourette syndrome shouted a racial slur during the BAFTA awards broadcast, prompting an apology from BAFTA.

Key Facts

• A guest at the BAFTA Film Awards with Tourette syndrome involuntarily shouted a racial slur during the ceremony, according to Al Jazeera and NPR
• The incident was included in the BBC’s delayed broadcast of the event without editing out the outbursts, per NPR
• The guest also made other offensive remarks during the ceremony, as reported by NPR
• BAFTA issued a public apology following the incident, according to Al Jazeera
• The BBC did not remove the outbursts from its broadcast, as stated by NPR

What Happened

According to Al Jazeera and NPR, during the BAFTA Film Awards ceremony, a guest with Tourette syndrome involuntarily shouted a racial slur and other offensive remarks. The BBC's delayed broadcast of the event included these outbursts without editing them out. BAFTA issued a public apology following the incident.

Why It Matters

The incident raises considerations about how live and delayed broadcasts handle involuntary speech related to medical conditions. It also highlights the responses of organizations like BAFTA and broadcasters such as the BBC to such occurrences. Public reactions and policies regarding broadcast content may be influenced by events like this.