BBC to conduct fast-track investigation into racial slur incident at Baftas
The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) launched a “rapid investigation” into Bafta coverage after a racist slur was broadcast during the ceremony on Sunday night.
In what the company described as a “serious mistake”, Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson was heard shouting as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for special visual effects at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC is assessing the events at Bafta on Sunday evening.
“This was a serious error and the chief executive instructed the Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) to complete a rapid investigation and provide a full response to the complainants.”
Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said after the broadcast that she shared the “serious concerns expressed by many people” and had spoken to former BBC director-general Tim Davie about the issue.
He added: “I welcome the BBC launching a full investigation. The broadcasting of racial slurs is completely unacceptable and harmful.
“The BBC must ensure this never happens again.”
It comes as the Committee for Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) wrote to Davie saying it “wanted an explanation” as to how a racist slur appeared on air “despite a two-hour delay”.
Referring to the Glastonbury Festival news, CMS Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said “the latest incident raises questions about the extent to which lessons have been learned and the controls and systems you have in place to prevent such incidents.”
Campaigner Davidson was at the Baftas representing the film I Swear, which tells the story of the Scottish campaigner’s life with the disease he developed when he was 12.
In an interview with Variety, he said the BBC should have “worked harder” to ensure his racist insults were not broadcast.
He told the publication: “Bafta had informed us all that any swearing would be removed from the broadcast.
“I had made four documentaries with the BBC in the past and felt they needed to be aware of what to expect from Tourette and worked harder to ensure that anything I said about 40 rows back from the stage was not included in the broadcast.”
The Press Association understands that film studio Warner Bros. is also thought to have raised concerns about the racial slur and requested that it be removed from the BBC broadcast, but it could still be heard when the broadcast aired two hours later.
The BBC apologized for not editing the racial slur on air and later removed it from the version on iPlayer.
Bafta subsequently issued an apology, saying they offered an “unreserved apology” to the players present on stage and “anyone affected”.
They added: “During the ceremony John chose to leave the auditorium and watch the remainder of the ceremony on screen; we would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration for others on what was supposed to be a night of celebration for him.
“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and apologize to everyone. We will learn from this and keep inclusion at the heart of everything we do, maintaining our belief that film and storytelling are a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”
During the broadcast, awards show host Alan Cumming also apologized for the language viewers may have heard.
