The fallout from the BAFTA racial slur saga has extended into a third day with a producer stepping down from one of its juries.
Jonte Richardson, an independent producer who has worked on the BET Awards, posted on social media that the awards body’s “handling of the unfortunate Tourette’s N-Word incident” was “utterly unforgivable.”
He accused BAFTA of “repeatedly failing to safeguard the dignity of its Black guests, members and the Black creative community.”
“I hope BAFTA leadership comprehend the damage they and the BBC have caused and taken the necessary steps to ensure their production staff are inclusive enough to prevent such an issue in the future,” Richardson wrote.
Richardson sat on the emerging talent judging panel and said his decision was “unfortunate” given that “this year’s cohort boasts some incredible Black talent” including the team behid Janice Okoh’s BBC comedy drama Just Act Normal.
Richardson said BAFTA has a “long history of systemic racism.” He has previously spoken with us about how he felt the BFI was overlooking filmmakers of color in its funding decisions. We have reached out to BAFTA for comment on his decision.
Dismay from politicians
The fallout from the racial slur debacle is still very much being felt.
BAFTA apologized and said it took “full responsibility” yesterday afternoon after John Davidson, a Tourette Syndrome campaigner who is the subject of the movie I Swear, was heard shouting the N-word at Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. BAFTA stressed Davidson has “involuntary tics that he has no control over.” Davidson subsequently said he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”
The BBC has also come in for heavy criticism for leaving up the BAFTA Film Awards on iPlayer for 15 hours, in which the N-word was audible, before finally taking it down.
Politicians in the UK have been making their dismay known. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said yesterday the BBC made a “horrible mistake” by not editing out the N-word from the broadcast.
Dawn Butler, a Labour MP, has written to Director General Tim Davie to question why a segment in which director Akinola Davies Jr said “free Palestine” was edited out and yet the N-word was left in. “You could see the physical intake of breath from Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo as they composed themselves to continue, like the professionals they are,” she wrote of the incident. “That pain was repeated to millions of people, who were forced to witness this on TV.”
She said the BBC “could have prevented this, given that the programme was aired on a two-hour delay.”