Credit: Alamy
James Van Der Beek And Eric Dane Fans Outraged After They Were ‘Disrespected’ At Film & TV Awards
James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane fans have been left outraged after the late stars were ‘disrespected’ at a film and TV awards show.
The BAFTAs, hosted by Scottish actor Alan C***ing (sorry we have to bleep his name for our advertisers), were held at London’s Royal Festival Hall yesterday evening (February 22), where hundreds of stars gathered to celebrate the year in film and TV.
It’s an evening of glitz and glamor, with famous faces, like Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, and members of the royal family, Prince William and Kate Middleton, in attendance.
However, the star-studded ceremony wasn’t without controversy.
2026 winners
It proved to be a landmark evening for the action thriller One Battle After Another, which secured the coveted Best Film award.
The category was hotly contested, with Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, and Sinners all competing for the top prize.
There was further recognition for Hamnet, which was honored with the Outstanding British Film accolade.
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley took home Leading Actress for her role in Hamnet, beating fellow nominees including Emma Stone and Kate Hudson.
On the Leading Actor side, Robert Aramayo scooped the award for his performance in I Swear, which looks at the complexities of Tourette syndrome.
He triumphed over a strong field that featured Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio among the nominees.
A controversial moment
I Swear depicts a young man who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome – the reality of which was portrayed during the ceremony.
Actor and Tourette’s activist, John Davidson, who was the inspiration behind the award-winning I Swear, could be heard shouting ‘shut the f*** up’ and ‘f*** you,’ as well as an outburst of the N-word, which has since been circulated online.
In real life, Davidson was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome at 25, with symptoms including uncontrollable tics and outbursts.
The moment has now gone viral on social media, with many not understanding the full extent of the condition.
The BAFTAs’ host explained the offensive language during the ceremony, as well as for those watching at home.
He said: “You may have noticed some strong language in the background.
“This can be part of how Tourette syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience.
“Tourette Syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language.”
The Tourette Association Of America states: “The words that may be expressed in coprolalia (a symptom of Tourette syndrome) are often distressing to an individual, and not indicative of their personal convictions (such as in the context of racial slurs).
“In many individuals, coprolalia is not able to be controlled.”
The BBC has since apologized regarding the incident and removed the film awards from its streaming platform iPlayer, reports Deadline.
James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane ‘disrespected’ at awards
This wasn’t the only moment that sparked debate among BAFTA viewers.
Some were outraged after noticing that Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek and Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane, who have recently passed away, were missing from the In Memoriam segment during Sunday’s ceremony.
Jessie Ware sang Barbra Streisand’s ‘The Way We Were’ as she paid tribute to those from the world of film who sadly passed away over the last year, which included Diane Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Rob Reiner, and more.
Remarking on the snub, one said: “Poor oversight by BAFTA.”
Another asked: “Where was James Van Der Beek in that tribute to all the actors???”
While a third questioned: “Hold on just a minute, why was Eric Dane not in that tribute video then?!?!”
Responding to the backlash, a spokesperson for BAFTA said: “We honour those within the sector in which their work was most closely associated.
“Our TV Awards take place later this spring. James and Eric are remembered on our website.”
Van Der Beek passed away on February 11, 2026, at age 46, following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Dane died earlier this month, less than a year after the 53-year-old revealed he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Related Article: Michael B. Jordan Had N-Word Shouted At Him By Tourette’s Campaigner While Presenting At BAFTAS
Related Article: Donald Trump Issues Chilling Threat To Grammys Host Over Brutal Joke About Him At Awards
Want more stuff like this?
Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!
