BBC breached standards by broadcasting Baftas racial slur

WorldEntertainment
8 Apr 2026 • 8:36 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

  • The BBC breached its editorial standards by broadcasting a racial slur during its coverage of the 2026 Bafta Film Awards, an investigation by the Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) found.
  • Disability campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourettes, shouted the slur as actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award.
  • Its inclusion in the BBC’s broadcast was “highly offensive” and “had no editorial justification”, the ECU said, but added that it was unintentional.
  • The ECU also criticised a “serious mistake” in the several-hour delay to remove the slur from the iPlayer version of the coverage, due to a lack of clarity among the production team.
  • The BBC's chief content officer issued letters of apology to Jordan, Lindo, and Davidson following the incident.

IN FULL

Newswav Malaysia Best News App

Newswav is an online content aggregator and obtains its content from different online sources. The content in the app do not belong to Newswav nor do they reflect the opinions of Newswav and its staff. Your use of this app indicates your understanding and acceptance of this information.

Newswav Sdn. Bhd. (201701008480 (1222645-M)) 2026 All Rights Reserved