BBC Censors David Tennant's Trump Jokes at BAFTA Monologue
Several of David Tennant's quips during his BAFTA monologue, notably those comparing U.S. President Donald Trump to Tim Burton's Beetlejuice character, were omitted from the BBC's broadcast.
Despite the pre-recording of the ceremony, which typically undergoes editing to fit its two-hour timeslot, certain portions of Tennant's monologue were excluded. While a remark referencing Trump's hair in "The Apprentice" was included, a subsequent joke summoning Trump like Beetlejuice was cut.
Additional humor targeting Trump's alleged avoidance of "The Apprentice" due to its 15 rating and referring to him as "a villain" was also removed. Jokes about the similarities between "Conclave" and "Pop Idol" and Cardinal Bellini's beverage preferences were among those not aired.
The BBC explained the edits in a statement, citing time constraints and the live broadcast format.
"Conclave" emerged as the top performer at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards with four wins, including Best Film. Other notable winners included Mikey Madison for Best Lead Actress ("Anora") and Jesse Eisenberg for Best Original Screenplay ("A Real Pain").