BBC producers say they 'didn't hear' N-word slur as working in a truck

BBC producers overseeing the Bafta film awards said they did not hear a racial slur broadcast on BBC One because they were working from a truck. The word, spoken by John Davidson, remained on BBC iPlayer overnight before the corporation apologised and said the two-hour broadcast would be re-edited.

Producers said several other incidents of inappropriate language were cut, but that moment was missed. The slur occurred as Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were on stage presenting an award; Davidson, a Tourette syndrome campaigner, shouted the word. The BBC apologised, explaining the language arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome and saying the offending section would be removed from iPlayer.

Bafta also apologised, noting the very offensive nature of the language and the pain it causes. Critics questioned how the passage remained in the edit while other remarks were removed.

United Kingdom

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