Following a racial slur telecast during the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards ceremony, UK lawmakers have sought clarification over the editorial credibility of the media house. The incident, which has sparked widespread rage in the country, took place during the presentation of the 2026 British Academy Film Awards, commonly known as the BAFTAs.
It is reported that the BBC broadcast had the time to make the necessary edits as the ceremony was not telecast live. However, the slur was aired and was available for a brief period of time on the BBC's on-demand streaming platform before being edited out.
Guest with Tourette's Syndrome
The slur was aimed at a guest in the audience with Tourette's syndrome, a neurological condition that can involve involuntary vocalizations. Tourette syndrome leads to unpredictable speech and actions, which is often a sensitive subject. Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo's presence on the stage during the incident further heightened the backlash. Critics argue that the media house had an opportunity to edit out the racial slur as it was not telecast live. However, the BBC's editorial controls went ahead with it, reflecting a lapse in the intervention standards.
The British broadcasting giants issued a public apology following the backlash and acknowledged that the offensive language should not have been transmitted. They further added that the controversial part will be removed from all its platforms. Furthermore, an internal review committee would examine the incident to determine why the slur was not edited out despite having time between recording and airing.
Members of the UK parliament demanded an explanation and strict action to avoid any such incidents in the future. Labour MP Dawn Butler has requested details on how such languages were allowed to pass the quality check. He further added that incidents like this are a matter of institutional responsibility, cultural sensitivity, and public trust.
BAFTA Under The Spotlight Again
In another incident, the BBC has reportedly trimmed off filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr's acceptance speech, which included a call to "Free Palestine." Over the years, BAFTA has also been under the spotlight for heavily leaning towards white winners, especially in the acting category. These controversies have now intensified the debate on political biases among major broadcasters. Critics also raise a point on the differences in the edits between the two incidents. Critics also raised questions on why a political statement was trimmed immediately, while the same team missed the race-related incidents, prompting debate on editorial values.
The row fueled the issue of selective censorship, with the BBC's coverage of the Gaza situation coming under the limelight yet again. They were recently under scrutiny for the telecast of the controversial documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which critics claim to be materially misleading, prompting a public apology from the director general. However, this is not the first time BAFTA has fallen under the loop for its editorial judgments. In many instances, the British award ceremony created controversy for its politically motivated decision. The BAFTA spokesperson clarified that the three-hour-long ceremony was trimmed to two hours, due to which several speeches were cut short.
The ceremony was held on 22 February 2026 in London at the Royal Festival Hall. One Battle After Another dominated the evening by taking home multiple awards, including Best Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing. Sinners and Frankenstein, too, topped the list in multiple categories. Hamnet won the Outstanding British Film, while newly rising talents like Robert Aramayo and Akinola Davies Jr. were recognized. Robert Aramayo won the Best Leading Actor for his performance in I Swear, while Jessie Buckley received the Best Leading Actress for her role in Hamnet.
