BBC Cut ‘Free Palestine’ From BAFTA Broadcast – Deepening Row Over Racial Slur That Did Air

(Screengrab via X/YouTube)

The BBC used a two-hour transmission delay on its broadcast of Sunday night’s BAFTA ceremony to cut filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.’s acceptance speech call of “free Palestine,” deepening the row over a separate incident over a guest shouting a racial slur at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, which made it past edits and was broadcast.

In the excerpt from his speech removed for broadcast, Davies Jr., accepting Outstanding British Debut for his film My Father’s Shadow, dedicated his award to parents who migrated seeking “a better life for their children,” as well as those “under occupation” or “dictatorship” and “experiencing genocide.”

“Archive your loved ones. Archive your stories yesterday, today, and forever. For Nigeria, for London, the Congo, Sudan, free Palestine,” he signed off.

While the portion of Davies Jr.’s speech thanking his parents aired, a BBC spokesperson said: “The live event is three hours and it has to be reduced to two hours for its on-air slot. The same happened to other speeches made during the night and all edits were made to ensure the programme was delivered to time. All winners’ speeches will be available to watch via BAFTA’s YouTube channel.”

However, the omission drew immediate comparisons to another moment that did make it to air: Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson shouted a racial slur at Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while they were presenting on stage.

Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by involuntary tics, including sudden movements or sounds. Davidson additionally experiences coprolalia, which is when those with Tourette’s syndrome shout involuntary swear words or make socially inappropriate remarks.

The slur was carried in full on BBC One and remained available on iPlayer into Monday morning before being removed. The moment prompted an apology from host Alan Cumming and later from the BBC, which admitted it should have been “edited out prior to broadcast.” The BBC added that the slur would be removed from its online streaming platform.

Despite the apology, actors including past BAFTA winner Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce branded the outburst “unacceptable” and demanded an apology directly to Jordan and Lindo.

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