David Tennant’s humorous jabs about Donald Trump during his BAFTAs monologue did not make it to the final broadcast by the BBC.
Several of Tennant’s jokes, including a comparison of the former U.S. president to the character Beetlejuice from Tim Burton’s film, were left on the cutting room floor during the pre-recorded ceremony. The BAFTA event, lasting three hours, is typically trimmed down to two hours for the actual airing in the U.K., resulting in some segments being omitted.
While one joke referencing Trump’s hair in relation to “The Brutalist” was retained, it was truncated. The joke went on to say, “Donald Trump claims he hasn’t seen ‘The Apprentice’ because it’s rated 15 in the U.K. It’s not aired on Nickelodeon. I’m a bit concerned; I’ve said his name three times. It’s like ‘Beetlejuice’ — I’ve summoned him.”
Instead of continuing with the Trump commentary, Tennant shifted the topic to villains, mentioning “Nosferatu” and “Heretic.” Additionally, some of his “Conclave” jokes, which humorously compared the project to “Pop Idol” and highlighted Stanley Tucci’s mixology skills, were also not included.
In a comment to Variety, the BBC stated, “The nature of the show requires a delayed broadcast, and edits must be made to adhere to time constraints.”
At the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards, “Conclave” won four awards, including Best Film, tying with “The Brutalist,” which celebrated victories for director Brady Corbet and lead actor Adrien Brody. Other surprising winners included Mikey Madison for Best Lead Actress for her role in “Anora,” and Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain,” which won Best Original Screenplay. For a complete list of winners, visit Variety’s website.
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David Tennant’s Trump ‘Beetlejuice’ Joke Cut From BBC BAFTAs Broadcast
