Michelle Dewberry has called for actor Jamie Foxx to apologise to Tourette’s sufferer and campaigner John Davidson after claiming he “meant” to say a racial slur during Sunday’s Bafta Awards.
Mr Davidson, who suffers from involuntary tics as a result of his condition, let out the N-word during Sunday’s ceremony when Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on the stage.
The campaigner ended up removing himself from the ceremony and proceeded to watch the show from a private room.
Mr Davidson was an invited guest to the ceremony after the film I Swear, which is based on his life, was nominated for six awards on the night.
Michelle Dewberry has slammed musician Jamie Foxx
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GB NEWSBafta host Alan Cumming apologised to audience members and viewers during the ceremony for any offensive language that may have been heard, pointing out that Mr Davidson was in attendance and suffered from Tourette’s.
But that explanation wasn’t enough for Mr Foxx, who, along with a number of others, took to social media to bizarrely criticise Mr Davidson.
Reacting to a clip of the moment on Instagram, Mr Foxx questioned: “Out of all the words, you could’ve said Torette’s makes you say that?” (sic)
In a series of follow-up Instagram comments, Mr Foxx called the outburst “unacceptable” and went as far as to claim: “Nah he meant that s**t.”
John Davidson (left) experiences involuntary vocal tics as a result of his condition
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GETTYMr Foxx’s remarks prompted thousands to engage in a social media pile-on against Mr Davidson. The likes of Narinder Kaur and Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu also condemned the Tourette’s campaigner.
However, a number of people have also come to Mr Davidson’s defence. I Swear star Thierry Mabonga, who played Mr Davidson’s lawyer in the film, took to TikTok to defend him.
GB News’ own Michelle similarly jumped to the Scotsman’s backing. “This poor guy. Of course he is mortified! As I said earlier, shame on anyone who attacked John Davidson for his involuntary tic.
“Most of the folk doing the attacking are either members of the ‘be-kind’ brigade, members of the ‘perpetual victim’ club, or both. Shame on you,” she began on X.
Jamie Foxx (right) alongside Michael B Jordan (left) who was on stage at the time of one of Davidson’s tics
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PA
Taking particular aim at Mr Foxx specifically, soon after, Michelle called for the actor to U-turn on his comments.
“Has @iamjamiefoxx apologised for this yet?” Michelle penned on Tuesday evening. “His thickness and ignorance helped create a monumental pile-on to a disabled man…”
Michelle also lauded the film at the centre of the debate. “I have finally managed to sit and watch ‘I Swear’ in full. Phenomenal,” Michelle penned in another post.
“To everyone who has criticised John Davidson or chosen to be offended by his words… I urge you to watch it.
Jamie Foxx accused John Davidson of ‘meaning’ his tics
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“John Davidson deserves nothing but respect. I wish him every inch of happiness, he truly deserves it. What a remarkable man he is. (Credit also to fellow Hullensian Robert Aramayo for his incredible performance).”
In the aftermath of the incident, both the BBC and Bafta have released statements apologising to those affected.
In its statement, the BBC said: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards.
“This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony, it was not intentional.
“We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast, and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”
Meanwhile, Bafta said: “At the Bafta Film Awards last night, our guests heard very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many.
“We want to acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened and apologise to all.
“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all.
Michelle Dewberry has called for a public apology from Foxx
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GB NEWS“We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”
Mr Davidson has also conducted his first interview since the incident with US publication Variety. He revealed he had reached out to Mr Jordan and Mr Lindo to directly apologise.
However, most notably, Mr Davidson has criticised the BBC and Bafta for the failure to bleep out his tics. “For me personally, my brain works so fast and the tics have always been so aggressive that I have no idea when they are coming or what they will be,” he told the publication.
“I have almost no ability to suppress, and when the situation is stressful, I have absolutely no choice but to tic — it simply bursts out of me like a gunshot.
I have finally managed to sit and watch ‘I Swear’ in full.
Phenomenal.
To everyone who has criticised John Davidson or chosen to be offended by his words….I urge you to watch it.
John Davidson deserves nothing but respect.
I wish him every inch of happiness, he truly… pic.twitter.com/iqczABZr7K
— Michelle Dewberry (@MichelleDewbs) February 24, 2026
“I want people to know and understand that my tics have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe. It’s an involuntary neurological misfire. My tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values.”
Mr Davidson also criticised the reporting of the incident, pointing out that the tic during Mr Jordan and Mr Lindo’s time on stage was one of many involuntary outbursts on the night.
He claimed that “Bafta had made us all aware that any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast” before hihghlighting: “I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past, and feel that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette’s and worked harder to prevent anything that I said — which, after all, was some 40 rows back from the stage — from being included in the broadcast.
“The negative responses only go to show the importance of people seeing the film and understanding more about an incredibly complex neurological condition.
“I had an expectation that the BBC would physically control the sound at the awards on Sunday. I was so far from the stage. From the lack of response from the early presenters to my tics, and with no one turning around to look at me, I assumed, like everyone else, that I could not be heard on the stage.
After the ceremony, Mr Lindo told Vanity Fair that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” as they continued to present the award they were tasked with presenting, but also said he wished “someone from Bafta spoke to us afterward”.