BBC Receives Over 1600 Complaints About BAFTA Incident
Written by Black Hot Fire Network Team on March 14, 2026
The BBC received a significant number of complaints following an incident at the BAFTA Awards involving Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. The network received 1,588 complaints from viewers who expressed concern over the broadcast of a racial slur and its failure to be edited out. This marks the highest number of complaints since a previous incident involving Bob Vylan and his anti-Israel remarks, which garnered 3,396 messages via iPlayer.
The BBC & Producer Penny Lane TV Wrongly Assumed They Caught The Incident
The BBC and producer Penny Lane TV initially believed they had addressed the incident when a BAFTA representative flagged it in a WhatsApp group chat. However, the message referred to a separate incident involving Wunmi Mosaku, who also appeared in Sinners.
According to Deadline, the BBC and producer mistakenly believed the slur directed at Jordan and Lindo had already been removed, due to the miscommunication. A BAFTA representative alerted the group to an audible N-word, but the BBC and Penny Lane TV assumed it related to the Mosaku incident after she had left the stage.
Reactions and Ongoing Fallout
The incident sparked considerable reaction, with both Jordan and Lindo acknowledging the support they received at the NAACP Image Awards. The BBC continues to face criticism and blame for allowing the incident to occur during the live broadcast.
