BAFTA Best Actor winner Robert Aramayo speaks out in defence of 'offensive' Tourette's campaigner who left ceremony halfway through after yelling racial slurs

Robert Aramayo has jumped to the defence of Tourette's campaigner John Davidson who left the BAFTAs on Sunday after shouting racial slurs from the audience.

The actor, 33, who has collected a Best Actor BAFTA after playing John in the film I swear, spoke out after the tics were heard during the Royal Festival Hall ceremony.

I Swear details the life of campaigner John, now 54, who was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at a time when little was known about the condition 

BAFTAs host Alan Cumming thanked the audience for their understanding after the I Swear director let out repeated involuntary shouts.

Alan issued an apology to viewers after John was heard shouting the N-word during Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo's presentation. The slur can still be heard on the version of the ceremony on iPlayer at the time of writing.

Speaking after the ceremony, Robert was asked what his thoughts were on the situation, and he insisted that the condition is a 'joint responsibility'.

A BBC reporter said: 'You could hear him shouting and words people find offensive.'

Robert replied: 'First of all the are tics. He is ticking. We have to understand. The way we perceive Tourette's is a joint responsibility. It's not shouting obscenities. 

'It's not being abusive. Its Tourettes. They are tics. If it can lead to a deeper understanding of Tourettes, and movies are part of that conversation, then it's an incredible thing.'

A BBC spokesperson said: 'Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards 2026. 

'This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologise for any offence caused by the language heard.'

John appeared to have left the ceremony in the second half of the show as his outbursts could no longer be heard. 

According to Variety, John left of his own accord and was not asked to leave by BAFTA. A source told the publication that he was an 'invited guest' and under no circumstances would he be asked to leave the ceremony.

While Michael and Delroy didn't react to the remark, Alan later addressed the audience at London's Royal Festival Hall and apologised for the offensive language. 

Addressing the shots, Alan told the crowd: 'You may have heard some strong offensive language tonight, but if you've seen the film I Swear, it's about the experience of a person with Tourette syndrome. 

'It is a disability and the ticks you have heard tonight are involuntary that means the person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language and we apologise if it has caused offence.' 

The neurological condition, characterised by a combination of involuntary noises and movements called tics, affects roughly one in 100 children, according to NHS England. 

I Swear stars Robert as campaigner John and depicts his younger years living in Glasgow, when he was first diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.

The film was nominated in the Outstanding British Film category, but lost out to Hamnet.

However, Robert bagged the award for Lead Actor, beating front-runners Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothee Chalamet who were also up for the award. 

He also won the EE Rising Star Award, the only public-voted accolade of the night.  

Peter Mullan, who plays Tommy Trotter in the film, was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, however he lost out to Sean Penn who bagged the accolade for One Battle After Another.  

John was awarded an MBE - for his tirelessly work over the years to heighten awareness of the condition.

Recalling the 'proudest' moment of his life when he was handed his MBE, John revealed that on the day, aside from swearing at the Queen, he experienced a compulsion to tell police officers at Holyrood Palace that he had 'a f***ing bomb!' as they routinely checked his vehicle.

One Battle After Another was the big winner at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards on Sunday night, as it scooped six gongs during the ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall.

The Paul Thomas Anderson hit had already received a record 14 nominations, and came out on top as it won Best Film, Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Cinematography and Editing.

While Jessie Buckley won Best Actress honour for her role in Hamnet, having been favourite to do so, the night wasn't without surprises, as Timothee Chalamet missed out on Best Actor to a home-grown favourite.

Despite being tipped as a favourite for the honour for his role in Marty Supreme, Timothee lost out on the prize to I Swear star Robert Aramayo.

As One Battle For Another was awarded Best Film, producer Sarah Murphy said: 'We wish more than anything that our producing partner Adam Somner could be here to accept this on behalf of us on his home turf.'

Director and producer Paul Thomas Anderson said: 'Thank you for rewarding our film in the way that you have, its just a tremendous honour. 

'I'm well aware of the other films that share this. Anybody that says movies aren't any good any more they can piss off because this is just a great f*****g year.'

He added that he planned to go and find a 'bar somewhere to go celebrate'.

The biggest loser of the evening was the highly acclaimed ping pong drama Marty Supreme, which went into the evening as one of the favourites, with 11 nominations. It came away completely empty-handed.

Jessie, who is already tipped as a favourite to win the Oscar for Best Actress, used her acceptance speech to thank her fellow nominees.

She said: 'This is really such an incredible honour. As a little girl I never thought in a million years I would be allowed to make a film but here I am. 

'When I arrived into my agent Lindy King in London, and I had nuclear bad fake tan on, white hoop earrings, a polka dot red skirt and dress, and I had the audacity to say to her that I dreamed to someday be something like Judi Dench. 

'I don't know how on God's green earth she even dreamed that was possible. This really does belong to the women who have taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently.'

Thanking her fellow nominees, Jessie forgot to include Kate Hudson and asked the audience: 'Who have I left out?' She then added 'I am in awe of all your incredible performances thank you.' 

Meanwhile viewers, and guests in attendance, were stunned when it was announced that Robert had been awarded Best Actor for I Swear, beating out Hollywood heavyweights Timothee and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Upon learning of his son's honour, Robert's father jumped to his feet and was shouting and jumping up and down when his son's name was read.

From the stage, Aramayo said: 'I absolutely can't believe this. I can't believe I'm looking at people like you never mind that I'm stood here.' 

With 28 gongs awarded on Sunday night, the main winners were One Battle After Another with six prizes. Sinners, Frankenstein and I Swear followed with three each whilst Hamnet won two gongs.