An independent review of the BAFTA Film Awards found “numerous structural weaknesses” in the planning, escalation processes and crisis coordination before John Davidson’s Tourette’s explosion.
Davidson is the executive producer of the BAFTA-winning i swearMichael B. at the 79th British Academy Film Awards on 22 February Jordan and Delroy Lindo made headlines for several weeks after inadvertently shouting the N-word when presented with the award for Best Visual Effects.
A review commissioned by the BAFTA board and carried out by Rise Associates was ordered to determine what happened and what should change, and identified “numerous structural weaknesses” in the British Academy’s planning and crisis management. “However,” a note sent by the BAFTA board said hollywood reporter On Friday, “it found no evidence of malicious intent.”
Part of the people involved in carrying out the incident. “We fully accept its findings.”
The board continued: “We apologize unreservedly to the Black community, for whom the racist language used caused real pain, cruelty, and trauma; to the disabled community, including people with Tourette syndrome, for whom this incident has caused unfair judgment, stigma, and distress; and to all of our members, guests at the ceremony, and those watching at home. What was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed.”
The statement said: “We have written to those directly affected that night to apologise.”
The review is clear that while this is “not a failure of intent”, BAFTA’s planning and processes “have not kept pace with its diversity and inclusion goals.” The board also acknowledges that they “did not adequately anticipate or fully prepare for the impact of such an incident in a live event environment and as a result did not meet our duty of care to everyone at the event and watching at home.”
Work is already underway on specific areas of improvement recommended in the review to reduce the risk of this happening again. This includes improving the range of outreach processes and information sharing during BAFTA awards ceremonies, strengthening the way we provide access, inclusion and support across our programs and addressing any internal cultural gaps or knowledge gaps that “may prevent BAFTA from meeting its commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion in all our work.”
