Alan Cumming has spoken out after a racial slur was shouted during February’s British Academy Film Awards ceremony, describing the event as a “trauma triggering s***show.” Cumming, who hosted the February 22 awards, issued a fresh apology on Instagram on Tuesday, expressing regret for the impact of the incident.
He said he was sorry for “all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world” and also apologised to the Tourette’s community for the backlash that followed, citing what he described as the world’s “lack of understanding and tolerance” about the neurological disorder.
Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson had shouted the N-word during the ceremony, prompting widespread criticism. The BAFTAs were pre-recorded, but the slur remained in the final broadcast uncensored.
Cumming also appeared to criticise the awards body and broadcaster. “We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech,” he wrote, adding that “all trauma must be recognised and honoured.”
The controversy intensified after it emerged that the BBC had reportedly removed the “Free Palestine” portion of filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.’s speech from the broadcast, while leaving the racial slur intact.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts later took “full responsibility” for placing presenters Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo in what it described as a “very difficult situation.” In a second apology, the organisation said it would learn from the incident amid mounting public criticism. Cumming had addressed the issue live during the ceremony, but the immediate apology did little to quell the backlash.
Davidson later thanked Cumming for acknowledging the moment during the show. “I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me,” he said.
The incident has sparked renewed debate about broadcast standards, editorial decisions and public understanding of neurological conditions, as well as the responsibility of live and pre-recorded events in handling offensive language.