Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson to watch Bafta Scotland awards in separate ‘relaxed’ space

John Davidson, the Tourette syndrome campaigner whose outburst at the British Academy film awards in February led to a crisis for Bafta (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and the BBC, will attend the Bafta Scotland awards and watch the ceremony from a separate “relaxed” space.

In a letter sent to Bafta members on Thursday, the organisation’s chair Sara Putt and CEO Jane Millichip said that, after an independent review, Bafta had “strengthened and centralised our safeguarding, risk assessment and compliance processes” and had made arrangements in consultation with “safeguarding and inclusion experts” for Davidson’s attendance at the awards ceremony organised by Bafta’s Scottish branch, which is due to take place in November.

For the Bafta Scotland awards ceremony, Bafta says that, in accordance with Davidson’s own suggestion, he will “watch the ceremony via video link from a separate relaxed space within the venue with his family and friends”.

I Swear, the film based on Davidson’s life, is the leading contender with seven nominations at the Bafta Scotland awards, including all three nominations in the best film actor category, for Peter Mullan, Robert Aramayo and Scott Ellis Watson, and best film actress for Shirley Henderson. Aramayo unexpectedly won best actor at the national Bafta film awards in February.

As executive producer of I Swear, Davidson had been in attendance at the Baftas and was heard several times shouting during the ceremony, including using the N-word while actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were on stage presenting the evening’s first prize. In a statement after the show, Davidson said he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning”. He added: “I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness and understanding from others and I will continue to do so. I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”

The crisis became more acute after it emerged that Davidson’s outburst was audible during the BBC’s coverage of the event, despite the broadcast starting two hours later. The BBC apologised and suggested that producers overseeing the ceremony for the BBC were doing so from a truck and did not hear the slur.