Baftas 2026: BBC In Censorship Row After Cutting 'Free Palestine' Message From Broadcast
The BBC is facing a backlash after a message in support of Palestine during one of this year’s Baftas acceptance speeches was removed from broadcast.
On Sunday night, brothers Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr. picked up the Bafta in the Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer prize for their work on the film My Father’s Shadow.
After celebrating their fellow nominees and thanking their collaborators on their film, Akinola gave a shout-out to “all those whose parents migrated to obtain a better life for their children”, “the economic migrant”, “the conflict migrant”, “those under occupation, dictatorship [and] persecution” and “those experiencing genocide”.
“Your stories matter more than ever. Your dreams are an act of resistance to those watching at home,” he said. “Archive your loved ones. Archive your stories yesterday, today, and forever.”
Akinola concluded: “For Nigeria, for London, the Congo, Sudan, free Palestine.”
However, the BBC – who airs the Baftas ceremony on a two-hour time delay – chose not to include this last section of Akinola’s speech, which has since been uploaded to Bafta’s YouTube page in full.
The decision for the BBC not to feature the political parts of Akinola’s speech has been met with a widespread backlash, particularly as a racist slur uttered by Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson as part of a tic during a speech by Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo aired uncensored.
-BAFTA was not live.
— TRADE UP FOR MAKAI LEMON (@cruzsteelski) February 23, 2026
-BBC censored “Free Palestine”
-BBC did not censor a hard R
-“If” language used for anyone offended. https://t.co/Y2w6JMZDbs
The BBC omitted “free Palestine” from their broadcast of the BAFTAs, which is on a 2 hour delay, but not the part where two Black men were called a racial slur while on stage.
— victor (@sacrificeofvic) February 22, 2026
The ablism and racism since this moment has been wild, but I have to say — the fact the BBC didn’t censor the moment but apparently censored “Free Palestine” is utterly utterly indefensible and outrageous. https://t.co/WSiMqHGnH1
— Rhammel (@Rhammified) February 23, 2026
The BBC owe us a thorough explanation. Unless they can confirm this was some kind of terrible technical glitch we can be sure this was an active editorial judgment to allow the racial slur to air. https://t.co/hJlciDyD8d
— Rhammel (@Rhammified) February 23, 2026
The BBC will edit “Free Palestine” out of the BAFTAs but will keep in someone shouting the N-word
— Adam Smith (@adamndsmith) February 23, 2026
They’ll let racist language though. They’ll facilitate what will be a horrible time for people with Tourette’s.
But the words “Free Palestine” must be scrubbed from history. pic.twitter.com/0ApeSgs4E0
I believe what the BBC did was deliberate.
— Steph (@StephanieYeboah) February 23, 2026
Not only did they not bleep the slur, but they also chose not to broadcast Alan Cummings’ apology/clarification.
Paying TV licence for what, exactly?
The fact that the BBC censored out Free Palestine during a winners speech by black filmmakers but kept in the racial slur used against fellow black creatives really irks me.
— Zak (@zakfilm) February 23, 2026
The BBC edited “Free Palestine” out of Akinola Davies Jr.’s acceptance speech but left the N-word in. Interesting.
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) February 23, 2026
also fuck the bbc they can edit out free palestine no issue but can’t edit out a horrendously uncomfortable situation for three men that didn’t need to be televised. they crave the division and the drama. fuck them
— bryony (@bryonycdc) February 23, 2026
1. Tourettes is an arse, and can make people say horrific things they do not mean at all.
— Becca Jiggens LLM Chartered FCIPD ♿️ ????????????️????️⚧️ (@beccajiggens) February 23, 2026
2. If BBC can edit out "Free Palestine" they can bloody well edit out the disabled person ticcing horrific language, rather than making a spectacle of him and magnifying the racist injury.
The BBC deemed "Free Palestine" to be more offensive than a racial slur.
— Fairuz Al Bahr ????️⚧️???????????????????????????????????????????????? (@FairuzOfTheSea) February 23, 2026
"But he has Tourette's" not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about how the BBC thought that "Free Palestine" is offensive and needs to be cut, but the N word was important for "spreading awareness" https://t.co/5nD9Nv4U6X
All the smoke needs to be for the BAFTAS and BBC. Because what do you mean there was a 2 hour delay and you can edit out “free Palestine” but not the N word towards two black actors on stage ?????
— 2.0 (@blixberrie) February 23, 2026
A BBC spokesperson told Deadline: “The live event is three hours and it has to be reduced to two hours for its on-air slot. The same happened to other speeches made during the night and all edits were made to ensure the programme was delivered to time.”
HuffPost UK has contacted the BBC for additional comment on the backlash over its editorial decision.
Take a look at our full list of winners from the 2026 Baftas here.