John Davidson will return to the BAFTA Scotland Awards months after the February incident involving an involuntary verbal tic. He will attend the November 15 ceremony in Glasgow but watch from a separate space. The film based on his life, I Swear, received seven nominations.
John Davidson will watch the BAFTAs from a separate space after his February incident
As per TMZ reports, Davidson will watch the ceremony through a video link from a separate “relaxed space” inside the venue. His family and friends will join him there during the ceremony.
The arrangement followed discussions involving Davidson, BAFTA, Tourettes Action, and Tourette Scotland. Davidson reportedly suggested watching from the separate space himself.
The decision followed an incident at February’s BAFTA Film Awards. Davidson involuntarily shouted a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award. He also experienced several other verbal tics during the ceremony.
Davidson is a Tourette syndrome activist who has spoken publicly about his condition. He is also an executive producer of I Swear, which is based on his life and experiences. The film received seven nominations at the upcoming BAFTA Scotland Awards.
BAFTA later apologized to Jordan and Lindo following the February incident. The organization also commissioned an independent review into its handling of the event.
The review found that BAFTA’s duty of care had fallen short. It also identified problems with the organization’s planning and response during the ceremony.
Davidson will therefore still attend the November ceremony but experience the event differently from February. The separate viewing space will allow him to watch the awards alongside his family and friends while remaining outside the main ceremony room.
