BAFTA Review Into Awards N-Word Controversy Finds No Evidence of ‘Malicious Intent’ or ‘Institutional Racism’ but Asserts That Duty of Care ‘Fell Short’

By Alex Ritman

Alex Ritman

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BAFTA has revealed the outcome of the independent review into the N-word controversy that erupted at its recent film awards on Feb. 22., which it said revealed a “number of structural weaknesses in BAFTA’s planning, escalation procedures and crisis coordination arrangements,” but found no evidence of “malicious intent” or “institutional racism.”

The incident — which came to significantly overshadow the 2026 awards ceremony — saw John Davidson, the Tourette syndrome activist and inspiration for the film “I Swear,” involuntarily shout the racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage to present the first award of the evening.

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