A few of David Tennant’s jokes about Donald Trump from his monologue at the BAFTAs were not included in the BBC’s final edit.
Multiple humorous remarks made by the host—one likening the U.S. president to the character Beetlejuice from Tim Burton’s film—were omitted from the BBC’s broadcast of the British awards show on Sunday evening. The event was recorded two hours prior to airing in the U.K. and typically runs for three hours, often requiring edits to fit into a two-hour broadcast.
While Tennant’s comment about Trump’s hair in relation to “The Brutalist” was left intact (“It’s the boldest architecture in film this year, aside from Donald Trump’s hair in ‘The Apprentice’”), the subsequent line was removed: “Donald Trump claims he hasn’t watched ‘The Apprentice’ because it’s a 15 [indicating the U.K. film rating]. It’s not available on Nickelodeon. Donald Trump … I’m concerned. I’ve mentioned his name three times. It’s like ‘Beetlejuice’ — I’ve summoned him.”
Instead, Tennant transitioned from the topic of Trump’s hair to mentioning “talking of villains…,” before referencing “Nosferatu” and “Heretic.” Moreover, several jokes about “Conclave,” where he pointed out its resemblance to “Pop Idol” and commended Stanley Tucci, who portrays Cardinal Bellini, for making the finest bellini drinks, were also cut from the broadcast.
In a statement to Variety, BBC explained: “The nature of the show is that it’s broadcast with a slight delay, and that necessitates edits due to time limitations.”
At the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards, “Conclave” secured a total of four wins, including best film, in a tie with “The Brutalist,” which earned awards for director Brady Corbet and lead actor Adrien Brody. Notable surprises included Mikey Madison of “Anora” winning lead actress and Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” taking home best original screenplay. For the complete list of winners, click here.
