London – Reality television personality Baylen Dupree has publicly defended John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome advocate, following an incident at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards where Davidson involuntarily uttered a racial slur. The incident occurred during a presentation by actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo for the Best Visual Effects award on Sunday, February 22nd.
Dupree, star of the TLC series “Baylen Out Loud,” addressed the controversy in a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday, February 24th. “I need to speak on this as someone who lives with Tourette’s,” Dupree wrote. “When you live with this disorder, you lose control of your own voice sometimes. And that is a terrifying thing.”
Davidson was attending the awards ceremony to represent his biographical film, “I Swear,” which details his experiences growing up with Tourette syndrome in 1980s Scotland, having first experienced tics at age 12. Prior to the incident, BAFTA host Alan Cumming informed the audience of Davidson’s presence and cautioned them that involuntary vocalizations might occur throughout the evening, requesting their understanding. The outburst, which included the N-word and other obscenities, visibly startled Lindo, according to reports.
Dupree’s statement sought to explain the neurological basis of such outbursts, emphasizing the distinction between involuntary tics and conscious thought. “Tics are not thoughts. They are not opinions. They are not secret beliefs hiding underneath the surface,” she explained. “They are involuntary neurological impulses – like a sneeze or a hiccup except sometimes they attach themselves to words that carry weight, history and pain. Can you imagine how heartbreaking it is to say something that you don’t mean?”
Davidson himself released a statement through Variety on Monday, February 23rd, expressing his deep mortification that his tics could be interpreted as intentional or malicious. Dupree echoed this sentiment, stating, “People feel if a slur comes out, it must reflect what’s in your heart. But Tourette’s doesn’t pull from hatred — it often pulls from anxiety, from fear, from the very thing you’re most scared of saying. The brain misfires on what feels charged or taboo.” Dupree, who received a Tourette syndrome diagnosis in 2020, described the experience of living with the condition as a constant cycle of apology and fear.
“Living with Tourette’s means constantly apologizing for something you didn’t choose,” Dupree wrote. “It means living with the fear that one moment could define you forever. It means knowing that no matter how kind you are, no matter what you believe, one tic could make the world decide who you are.”
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) likewise issued a statement on February 23rd acknowledging the harm caused by the incident and offering an unreserved apology to Jordan, Lindo, and all those affected. The statement praised the two actors for their “incredible dignity and professionalism” during the disruption.
Jamie Foxx was among the celebrities who publicly reacted to the incident, describing it as “unacceptable.” As of Wednesday, February 25th, no further disciplinary action has been announced by BAFTA, and the organization has not indicated any changes to its protocols for accommodating individuals with Tourette syndrome at future events.
