Tourette's campaigner John Davidson to watch Bafta Scotland ceremony from separate 'relaxed' space
John Davidson, whose involuntary outburst at the Bafta film awards in February triggered a crisis for Bafta and the BBC, will attend November's Bafta Scotland ceremony but watch it from a separate relaxed space with family. Bafta says it has strengthened safeguarding processes after an independent review.
John Davidson, the Tourette syndrome campaigner whose involuntary outburst at the British Academy film awards in February caused a crisis for Bafta and the BBC, will attend the Bafta Scotland awards ceremony in November but follow proceedings from a separate space.
In a letter sent to Bafta members on Thursday, chair Sara Putt and chief executive Jane Millichip said that, following an independent review, Bafta had strengthened and centralised its safeguarding, risk assessment and compliance processes. Arrangements for Davidson's attendance were made in consultation with safeguarding and inclusion experts.
Separate viewing space
In line with Davidson's own suggestion, he will watch the Bafta Scotland ceremony via video link from a separate "relaxed" space within the venue, accompanied by family and friends.
Film leads nominations
I Swear, the film based on Davidson's life, leads the nominations at Bafta Scotland with seven nods, including all three best film actor nominations, for Peter Mullan, Robert Aramayo and Scott Ellis Watson, plus a best film actress nomination for Shirley Henderson. Aramayo unexpectedly won best actor at the national Bafta film awards in February.
Davidson, executive producer of I Swear, attended the February ceremony and was heard shouting several times, including using a racial slur while actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan were presenting the evening's first award on stage. Afterwards, Davidson said he was "deeply mortified" if anyone considered his involuntary tics intentional or meaningful, adding that he had spent his life supporting the Tourette's community and teaching empathy and understanding, and that he left the auditorium early once he realised the distress his tics were causing.
The situation escalated further after it emerged Davidson's outburst was audible during the BBC's broadcast of the ceremony, even though coverage began two hours after the event itself. The BBC apologised, saying producers overseeing the ceremony from a production truck had not heard the slur.
