The use of the N-word at the Baftas has sparked a heated debate, with Warner Bros. Studio taking swift action and raising concerns with the Bafta organization immediately after the incident. The incident occurred during the presentation of the award for best visual effects by Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, where Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson's verbal tic included the offensive word. Despite Warner Bros.'s prompt reaction, their concerns were seemingly overlooked as the moment was not edited out of the TV broadcast. The studio's source revealed that they requested the word be removed from the telecast, which airs on BBC One with a two-hour time delay, and Bafta assured them the request would be passed on to the BBC. However, the BBC has not added anything further to their initial apology for the editing oversight, and producers claim they did not hear the slur due to working from a truck. Google has also apologized for an AI-generated prompt accompanying a link to an article about the incident, which invited users to 'See more on' the N-word. The delay between the ceremony and broadcast has been criticized, as those interested in the awards are likely to know the winners before watching the show. Bafta has issued a statement taking full responsibility and apologizing to all involved, while also apologizing to Jordan and Lindo for their incredible dignity and professionalism. Despite these attempts, criticism has continued to pour in, with Bafta judge Jonte Richardson resigning over the handling of the incident, and the New Black Film Collective and MP Dawn Butler echoing Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch's outrage at the BBC's failure to edit out the word.
