John Davidson to Watch Bafta Scotland Awards From Separate 'Relaxed' Space

John Davidson, the Tourette syndrome campaigner whose involuntary outburst at the British Academy film awards in February triggered a crisis for Bafta and the BBC, will attend the Bafta Scotland awards in November and watch the ceremony from a separate "relaxed" space.

The arrangement emerged in a letter sent to Bafta members on Thursday, signed by the organisation's chair, Sara Putt, and CEO Jane Millichip. The letter follows an independent review into the handling of the February ceremony, at which Davidson's involuntary tics — including an utterance of a racial slur during the broadcast — caused a public backlash and prompted the review.

In the letter, Putt and Millichip said Bafta had "strengthened and centralised our safeguarding, risk assessment and compliance processes" following the review. They added that the organisation had made arrangements for Davidson's attendance at the Scottish branch ceremony in consultation with "safeguarding and inclusion experts".

The Bafta Scotland awards are due to take place in November. The decision to provide a separate viewing space marks a concrete operational change for the academy, which faced sustained criticism over its response to the February incident and subsequently apologised to Davidson.

The February ceremony, broadcast by the BBC, drew controversy after Davidson's tics were heard live on air, prompting criticism from figures including Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce. The incident placed both Bafta and the broadcaster under pressure to explain their handling of a live event involving a guest with a neurological condition.

Thursday's letter signals how Bafta intends to manage that tension going forward: rather than excluding Davidson, the academy has opted for adjusted arrangements — a "relaxed" space — developed with external experts. The outcome will be tested publicly at the November ceremony, where Bafta's revised safeguarding processes face their first high-profile broadcast outing since the review.