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Scottish Tourette's syndrome activist John Davidson has spoken publicly for the first time after his involuntary vocal tics disrupted the 79th BAFTA Awards, including the use of offensive slurs during the live ceremony.
In an interview with Variety, Davidson described the distress he experienced on the night and clarified that his words were the result of an involuntary neurological response- not intent. Davidson, the real-life inspiration behind the film 'I Swear', attended the ceremony after the project, which chronicles his life living with Tourette's, received six nominations. During the event, his vocal tics were audible as actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. Davidson's team has since confirmed that he has reached out to the studio handling 'Sinners' to directly apologise to Jordan, Lindo and production designer Hannah Beachler. Addressing widespread coverage of the incident, Davidson said many people misunderstand Tourette's syndrome, particularly the symptom known as coprolalia- the involuntary use of obscene or offensive language. "Very often, the media focuses on my particular type of Tourette's, which is called coprolalia," he explained, noting that the symptom affects between 10per cent and 30 per cent of people with the condition and is not required for diagnosis. He added that it remains one of the hardest tics to manage and can cause significant distress. Davidson stressed that his tics "have absolutely nothing to do with what I think, feel or believe". He described them as "an involuntary neurological misfire," adding, "My tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values." He acknowledged that one of the offensive words uttered during the ceremony was a racial slur, saying he fully understands its historical and modern significance. However, he clarified that he ticked "perhaps 10 different offensive words" throughout the evening and that the focus on a single term has created a misleading impression. "What you're hearing is a symptom -- not my character, not my thought, not my belief," he said, in an interview with Variety. Davidson revealed that attending the BAFTAs was both meaningful and physically challenging. He has lived with Tourette's for nearly 40 years and underwent serious heart surgery just five weeks before the ceremony. "This was an awards ceremony that featured six nominations connected to a film that told the story of my life," he said, adding that he is also an executive producer on the project and had worked on it for three years. He said he expected that members of the audience- many of whom had seen 'I Swear'- would understand his condition. He also believed precautions would be in place regarding broadcast audio. StudioCanal was working closely with BAFTA, and attendees had been informed that any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast. Davidson, who has previously made four documentaries with the BBC, said he had anticipated greater awareness and sound management, particularly as he was seated approximately 40 rows from the stage. Reflecting on the auditorium setup, he noted that a microphone was positioned near his seat. "With hindsight I have to question whether this was wise," he said. Davidson described the escalating anxiety he felt as the ceremony progressed. Initially, his tics consisted of noises and movements. As his nerves intensified, so did his vocal tics. "When my coprolalia tics came out, my stomach just dropped," he said, adding, "As always, I felt a wave of shame and embarrassment hit me all at once. You want the floor to swallow you up." He said he hoped attendees would recognise that he could not control what was happening. "Please don't judge me. Please understand this isn't who I am," he recalled thinking. The moment he realised his tics had reached the stage was when Jordan and Lindo appeared to look up from their presenting duties. Soon after, Davidson chose to leave the auditorium. BAFTA arranged for him to watch the remainder of the ceremony from a private room. Davidson has long campaigned to improve understanding of Tourette's and said the reaction to the BAFTAs demonstrates how much work remains. He shared that he has previously faced violent assault due to his condition and continues to encounter damaging misconceptions- including claims that people with Tourette's only say offensive words if they secretly believe them. Comments suggesting he should "stay inside" or that his tics reflect racism have been "deeply upsetting," he said. Davidson also requested careful language in reporting, preferring Tourette's to be described as a "condition" rather than a disability. "The awards were a heightened version of my everyday life," he reflected, adding, "They are the reason why, for many periods in my life, I have been fearful of leaving the house." (ANI)
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