I Swear true story: Did John Davidson really swear in front of the Queen?

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The critically acclaimed film I Swear is now available on Netflix. It recently earned two BAFTA awards, recognizing its casting and the outstanding performance of Robert Aramayo, who also received a Rising Star award for his work throughout the year.

The film, written and directed by Kirk Jones, tells the true story of John Davidson, a passionate advocate for people with Tourette’s Syndrome. It follows his life from his childhood in Galashiels to receiving an MBE in 2019 for his efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the condition.

If you recently finished watching I Swear on Netflix, you might be wondering how much of the story is actually true. Let’s take a look at the real events that inspired the film.

Did John Davidson really say “f**k the Queen”?

The film starts with John preparing to receive his MBE, and he unexpectedly blurts out an expletive about the Queen just as he’s about to be honored. This sets the stage for the movie’s darkly humorous style, and feels almost too perfectly crafted to be real.

This actually happened during the real ceremony. John told the Telegraph that his tics worsened at the event, and even though Doddie Weir, the late rugby player, tried to help by keeping him engaged and focused, John still experienced them when he was introduced.

He explained that he shouted an expletive directed at the Queen, and that some members of the military orchestra were visibly struggling to maintain composure while playing their instruments.

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Honestly, what really got to me was how amazing the Queen was. She was so gracious and just congratulated me, and it was like a huge weight lifted! It was a real ‘lightbulb moment’ – I suddenly thought, ‘If the Queen can handle my Tourette’s and actually want to spend time with me, why are we even trying so hard to make everyone understand? Why can’t people just accept it, you know, like a normal person?’ It totally changed my perspective.

Unfortunately, things haven’t always gone as planned, as we recently saw at the BAFTA Film Awards – I’ll explain more about that shortly.

Did John Davidson attempt suicide as a teenager?

A particularly heartbreaking scene in the movie shows 13-year-old John attempting suicide by walking into a river. Tragically, this was based on a real event; John later told the Telegraph he was “in the depths of despair” at the time.

He’d reached a point where he felt he’d had enough and was exhausted. He admitted to considering walking into the water and letting the current carry him, wondering if it would be a peaceful way to end things.

Honestly, I have no idea what I was even doing out there. I just remember floating in the water, and the next thing I knew, someone called 911. The fire department and police showed up and pulled me out. Then it was a quick trip in an ambulance to the hospital. That’s when everyone realized this wasn’t just a little mishap – it was a real emergency.

Similar to the depiction of the suicide attempt, other scenes in the movie – including the crowbar attack and John’s trial following a fight caused by his tic – are based on actual events from the person’s life.

Was Dottie really misdiagnosed with cancer?

In the series I Swear, there’s a scene that might seem made up, but actually happened: Dottie (played by Maxine Peake) discovers she was incorrectly diagnosed and doesn’t have a terminal illness.

The movie actually downplayed the most shocking parts of what they went through. Dottie recounted to The Sunday Times in 2006 that she and John supported each other through recovery, but his behavior was frightening. She explained that while he’d kindly push her around in a wheelchair for some air, he would unexpectedly have a spasm and steer her directly into traffic.

There were times I felt completely overwhelmed, like everything was crashing down on me. We’d often joke about it to cope. John has always said that learning to find humor in difficult situations has been key for him.

The way they first met, as depicted in I Swear, actually happened in real life. She remembers John walking in and immediately saying, “Ha ha, you’re going to die,” after learning she had cancer. Despite the shocking comment, she said she felt surprisingly strong and able to cope.

Where is John Davidson now?

Biographical movies often focus on people who’ve been out of the spotlight for years, leaving audiences curious about what they’ve been doing. However, that’s not the case with John Davidson, who’s been very visible in the media recently.

During the BAFTA Film Awards, John repeatedly shouted out, particularly at the beginning of the show. His outbursts were especially noticeable when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the award for Special Visual Effects, and included the use of a racial slur.

During the awards ceremony, host Alan Cumming read a statement. When parts of this statement were included in the BBC broadcast – and then removed from BBC iPlayer the next day – it sparked criticism of both the BBC and BAFTA. Some of this criticism also unfairly targeted the individual referred to as ‘John,’ due to a misunderstanding of their situation.

John has Tourette’s syndrome, and one of his symptoms is coprolalia – involuntarily blurting out swear words or offensive remarks. This is featured in the documentary I Swear, and he hopes the film’s release – currently on Netflix in the UK and soon in US cinemas – will help people better understand Tourette’s.

After the BAFTAs, he explained that it always deeply upsets him when people mistake his involuntary tics as deliberate actions or think they have a hidden meaning. He’s dedicated his life to supporting and encouraging the Tourette’s community and promoting empathy, kindness, and understanding, and he plans to keep doing so.

I Swear is now available to watch on Netflix.

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2026-03-10 21:20