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Susanna Reid has been blasted by ITV viewers for making a 'totally uncaring, stupid and dismissive' remark about Tourette syndrome live on Good Morning Britain.
The TV host was joined by Ed Balls to discuss the latest headlines on Monday morning, when talk soon turned to the BAFTA Film Awards, which took place in London on Sunday evening.
Susanna, 55, and co-host Ed, 58, discussed the shock moment a racial slur was heard during the broadcast of the awards, as Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo took to the stage to hand out one of the coveted awards.
Audiences heard the racial slur being shouted at the two Black actors and Sinners cast mates - which was soon revealed to have been shouted by John Davidson, a Tourette's campaigner whose life was recently televised in biopic I Swear.
The biopic, which was nominated at the awards, starred Robert Aramayo as John, and followed his twenties living in 1980s Scotland and his later campaigning to raise awareness for the syndrome.
John could be heard shouting 'shut the fk up' and 'boring' at actors Michael and Delroy, before using the N-word in a series of involuntary shouts.
Show host Alan Cumming was quick to apologise for the use of offensive language as he addressed the star-studded room at London's Royal Festival Hall.
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.
A BBC spokesperson also told NBC News: '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.'
Reacting to the live moment, Susanna told Good Morning Britain audiences that she was still 'thinking about the language' - hitting out that it was 'completely unacceptable'.
Recognising that having Tourette's means those diagnosed with the condition cannot control their ticks, she then posed the question: 'There's plenty of people watching who say, "Why should a racial slur ever be accepted or simply brushed away?"'
Ed disagreed, explaining: 'There's two different issues. If this racial slur was said at the awards ceremony, it shouldn't have been broadcast.
'The guy who has Tourette's - apologising for his disability is not fair or right. It's not in his control. If it was me, I would have bleeped out the racial slur and not had the apology.'
Susanna continued: 'But it's absolutely vital that you apologise for it. A racial slur is always something, presumably, that needs to be apologised for.'
Ed responded: 'They ought to have apologised for having it on the programme, but apologising for the gentleman with Tourette’s, you can’t apologise for his disability.'
Following a clip of Alan’s apology shown to Good Morning Britain viewers, Susanna added: ‘I think you should always apologise if an utterly offensive racial slur is used.’
Fans of the show were left in shock by the remarks, and took to social media to complain, with one writing: ‘So it doesn’t matter where, or from whom, the racial slur was issued?
‘Even if it was written on a piece of paper or produced by AI or... shouted out by someone with Tourettes... Susanna says SOMEONE has to apologise?’
Another hit out: ‘The actor in the film regarding Tourette’s wins an award but Susanna states that we need to apologise for the consequence of that disability in real life.’
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
Fans of Good Morning Britain were left in shock by the remarks, and took to social media to complain
‘If there was ever any doubt that Reid knows sweet FA about what she’s talking about, her little rant on Tourette’s (or should I say “the consequences” of the disability) should remove any shred of doubt left,’ a third fumed.
They added: ‘Someone get her a ladder for the huge hole she just dug herself.’
A fourth wrote: ‘Susanna playing the ultimate virtue signalling clown once again! Does she know how Tourette’s Syndrome ticks works? She knows that these ticks and outbursts cannot be helped right?’
‘You shouldn’t apologise for #TouretteSyndrome, it can’t be helped. You should never apologise for an illness...no one asked to have the illness,’ someone else added.
While a sixth penned: ‘Sussana Reid being so dismissive of Tourette’s is sad to see...’
‘I suggest that Susanna Reid actually watches the previous documentaries about tourettes sufferer John Davidson as she appears totally uncaring and determined to not fully understand that John Davidson cannot control what he shouts and says,’ another viewer went on.
‘This man has a disability and he has an aggressive form of tourettes and he cannot stop the words regardless of how rude or Inappropriate they are coming out his mouth.
‘You even see him in the documentaries explain how awful he feels about what he shouts and says...’
I Swear stars Robert Aramayo as campaigner John and depicts his younger years living in Glasgow, when he was first diagnosed with Tourette syndrome
Campaigner John, 54, was the inspiration behind movie I Swear
MailOnline have contacted ITV for comment.
Campaigner John, 54, was the inspiration behind movie I Swear, when he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at the age of 25, causing tics and outbursts involving swearing.
Before the ceremony began, a floor manager is reported to have told audience members: 'I'd like to welcome John Davidson MBE from one of our nominated films, I Swear.
'John has Tourette's syndrome, so please be aware you might hear some involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.'
The BAFTA Film Awards was pre-recorded and shown on screen after the ceremony on BBC One, with the comments made by Davidson left in the final broadcast.
I Swear stars Robert Aramayo 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.