Corporation says broadcasting of N-word by Tourette syndrome campaigner was ‘serious mistake’ as anger at error rises

The BBC is to undertake a fast-track investigation into how a racial slur broadcast during its coverage of the Bafta film awards was not edited out, amid rising anger inside the corporation over the error.

Tim Davie, the outgoing director general, has now instructed the corporation’s complaints unit to investigate what the BBC describes as a “serious mistake”.