The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has issued a formal apology to actorsMichael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo following an onstage incident during the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London.
The apology comes after an audience member shouted a racial slur while Jordan and Lindo were presenting an award at the Royal Festival Hall. The actors, who co-starred in the film Sinners, were on stage when the outburst occurred. The remark was later identified by attendees and viewers as the N-word.
In a statement released Monday, BAFTA addressed the incident and acknowledged the harm caused.
“Tourette syndrome causes involuntary verbal tics that the individual has no control over,” the organization said. “Such tics are in no way a reflection of an individual’s beliefs and are not intentional.”
BAFTA added that “a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people in the room.” The statement continued: “Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted.”
The ceremony was broadcast by the BBC on a delay. However, the slur was not censored before the program aired, prompting criticism online after viewers replayed the moment.
Jordan and Lindo did not respond publicly during the ceremony. They continued presenting the award for Avatar: Fire and Ash and maintained composure on stage. BAFTA later commended the actors for their “incredible dignity and professionalism.”
In subsequent remarks, Lindo said he and Jordan “did what [they] had to do” in the moment. He also said he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to [them] afterwards.” The organization’s apology was issued nearly 12 hours after the broadcast concluded.
BAFTA said it takes “full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation” and pledged to keep inclusion at the center of its work moving forward.
The audience member later released a statement reiterating that the verbal tic was involuntary. He did not issue a direct apology to Jordan or Lindo.
