Bafta has issued an "unreserved" apology to the Black and disability communities following the broadcast of a racial slur during its 2026 film awards ceremony. An independent review into the incident found "a number of structural weaknesses" in the organisation's planning for the high-profile event.
In a statement released on Friday, Bafta's board of trustees extended their apologies not only to the Black community for the racist language used, but also to the disability community, for whom the incident led to "unfair judgement, stigma, and distress."
The controversy arose during the 79th British Academy Film Awards in February, when disability campaigner John Davidson, who lives with Tourette’s, could be heard shouting as actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for special visual effects.
The trustees confirmed that an independent review, conducted by RISE Associates, was commissioned to investigate the events and recommend necessary changes. While the review identified "a number of structural weaknesses in BAFTA’s planning, escalation procedures and crisis coordination arrangements", it found no evidence of "malicious intent" from those involved in delivering the event. Bafta has fully accepted these conclusions.
"We apologise unreservedly to the Black community, for whom the racist language used carries real pain, brutality, and trauma; to the disability community, including people with Tourette Syndrome, for whom this incident has led to unfair judgement, stigma, and distress; and to all our members, guests at the ceremony and those watching at home," the trustees stated. They acknowledged that "what was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed” and confirmed they have written to those directly impacted.
The review highlighted that while the incident was not a "failure of intent", Bafta's "planning and processes have not kept pace with its diversity and inclusion goals”. The organisation admitted it "did not adequately anticipate or fully prepare for the impact of such an incident in a live event environment and as a result our duty of care to everyone at the ceremony and watching at home fell short."
Work is already underway to implement the specific improvements recommended by the review, aiming to prevent similar occurrences. These include enhancing accessibility and inclusion planning, fostering a more inclusive culture, and refining event communication and command structures.
Specifically, Bafta is improving escalation processes and information sharing around its awards ceremonies. It also revealed that it is strengthening how it plans for and delivers access, inclusion, and support at events, adopting a broader intersectional approach to ensure all needs are considered. Thirdly, the organisation is addressing any internal cultural gaps or lack of knowledge that might hinder its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This ongoing work remains a priority, with the Executive Team regularly reporting progress to the Board of Trustees. Bafta concluded by stating its determination "to learn from what happened, and to ensure inclusion and belonging for all is meaningful in practice as well as in principle."
Bafta’s apology arrives just days after an investigation found that the BBC breached its editorial standards when it broadcast a racial slur during its coverage of the 2026 Bafta Film Awards.
The findings stated that the inclusion of the slur was “highly offensive” and “had no editorial justification”, but it added that broadcasting it was unintentional.
