A leading Tourette’s charity has condemned a Saturday Night Live sketch that mocked John Davidson’s involuntary racial slur at the 2026 Baftas, accusing the show of contributing to “horrific” trolling experienced by those with the condition.
A spokesperson for Tourette’s Action branded the clip “unacceptable” and said videos like this “can undo the progress our community has spent years building toward greater awareness”.
They said Tourette’s “is not a joke” or “a source of entertainment”, but “a condition that can be extremely debilitating, causing pain isolation and huge amounts of discrimination”.
The SNL sketch in question, which was released online over the weekend, poked fun at the Baftas incident, in which Scottish campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, shouted a racial slur while actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were presenting an award.
The BBC later broadcast the pre-recorded moment, which had happened two hours earlier, and Davidson, whose life inspired the film I Swear, later said he was “upset and distraught” by the situation as he was allegedly told that any offensive involuntary tics would be cut from the broadcast.
SNL, which was this week hosted by Heated Rivalry actor Connor Storrie, made light of the situation in a sketch that featured cast members playing controversial celebrities, including Mel Gibson, JK Rowling, Bill Cosby and Kanye West, who all inexplicably claim Tourette’s is to blame for their problematic behaviour.
“I’m Mel Gibson, and as I probably should have pointed out decades ago, I too suffer from Tourette’s, which explains a lot of the things I’ve said or yelled through the years,” Andrew Dismukes said in character as Braveheart star Gibson. In the past, Gibson has made racist, antisemitic, and homophobic comments, which he has apologised for.
Ashley Padilla said while playing Harry Potter author Rowling: “Tourette’s isn’t just blurting out an offensive word. It can be a years-long obsession with something like trans rights and a deep anger that someone who was born with a wand in their pants would want that one removed and replaced with a Horcrux.” Rowling has faced significant backlash for her remarks on the transgender community.
Kenan Thompson played Cosby, who has been accused of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment by more than 60 women, all of which he has denied. In the sketch, Thompson, as Cosby, said he suffers from “something called the drink Tourette’s”.
Tourette’s Action said: “I hope those creating these videos understand that they create real consequences for people in our community: fear, isolation, bullying, abuse, and a feeling among many that they must hide away to stay safe.”
A spokesperson added that those with Tourette’s have been enduring “horrific trolling” since the Baftas incident and urged people to “be kind”.
The full statement from Tourette’s Action can be found below:
“THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. Mocking a disability is never acceptable. It would not be tolerated for any other condition, and it should not be tolerated by people with Tourette’s. Tourette’s is a complex neurological condition, of which there is no cure.
“It is not a joke. It is not a personality trait. It is not a source of entertainment. It is a condition that can be extremely debilitating, causing pain isolation and huge amounts of discrimination.
“Videos and posts that deliberately misrepresent or sensationalise tics set us back years. A single video can undo the progress our community has spent years building toward greater awareness. I hope those creating these videos understand that they create real consequences for people in our community: fear, isolation, bullying, abuse, and a feeling among many that they must hide away to stay safe.
“The trolling and harassment members of our community have endured in the past few days has been horrific. People have been targeted with threats and humiliation simply for having a condition they did not choose. No one should ever be treated that way.
“These recent events have been painful for multiple communities, and I am not for one minute dismissing that hurt, but directing anger and ridicule to people with Tourette’s does nothing to heal that pain and does not move us forward. What we need right now is people to be kind.
“We need compassion, accurate information and above all, we need education. I am asking everyone, content creators, viewers, the media, and the wider public, to please consider the impact of what they say and what they share. Behind every tic is a person. A family. A life. A long-standing history of being misunderstood. I was always brought up with the motto that if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing and to always, always be kind. To those in the Tourette’s community.”
The Independent has contacted NBC for comment.
Davidson suffers from coprolalia, a version of Tourette’s which involves involuntary cursing or making socially inappropriate remarks. During the Baftas, he chose to leave the auditorium shortly after realising that Lindo and Jordan had heard his tic from the stage. He also said he involuntarily made several offensive remarks that weren’t just racial.
Following the event, a BBC spokesperson said: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it has been removed from BBC iPlayer.”
In an internal memo, BBC staff were also told that the slur had aired “in error” as producers had not heard the word, and that another had been cut from the broadcast.
Bafta also apologised, saying that a “comprehensive review” was underway and that they took “full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation”. They also apologised to Lindo and Jordan.
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