AceShowbiz - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, known as BAFTA, has issued an unreserved apology to the Black and disabled communities following a controversy involving the use of the N-word during this year’s awards ceremony.

At last month’s BAFTA Film Awards, the offensive term was unintentionally shouted by Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson while interacting with actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan, as well as Best Supporting Actress winner Wunmi Mosaku. The incident sparked widespread public and media attention.

A detailed review conducted by Rise Associates analyzed the circumstances surrounding the event and found no evidence of malicious intent from those involved in organizing or delivering the ceremony. The report also concluded the incident did not demonstrate any form of institutional racism within BAFTA.

However, the review was highly critical of BAFTA’s event preparation and response. It highlighted several structural weaknesses in the organization’s planning, escalation procedures, and crisis coordination. Particularly, the report noted that BAFTA had failed to fully recognize the risks associated with live broadcast appearances, did not escalate early warning signs, and lacked a clear operational command structure, which hampered effective incident management once the situation unfolded.

Following these findings, BAFTA has committed to addressing these shortcomings to better safeguard future events and ensure respectful and inclusive environments for all attendees and viewers.