I Swear star says winning Scottish Bafta would ‘mean the world’

I Swear star Scott Ellis Watson has said winning at the Bafta Scotland awards for his role in the hit film would “mean the world” to him as he prepares to compete against two of his co-stars.

The 16-year-old portrayed John Davidson’s teenage experience with Tourette’s in the 2025 film.

He is nominated in the Actor/Film category alongside fellow I Swear actors Peter Mullen and Robert Aramayo.

Shirley Henderson attending the Bafta Scotland Awards at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central in Glasgow (Lesley Martin/PA)

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Speaking to the Press Association, the Scottish teenager said he was “nervous about going up in same category with two incredible actors from the same film”.

“It would mean the world,” he said. “Even just being nominated is incredible.”

Watson said he “didn’t really understand what was going on” and that it was “crazy” when he first learned he had been nominated.

“I woke up in my bed to my mum kind of shouting,” he said.

“She turned around her phone, and it was Robert’s name, Peter’s name, and then my name, and it was the Bafta Scotland design behind it.

“I didn’t really understand what was going on, but it was my name was there, and then she was like, ‘You’ve been nominated for a Bafta’.”

Scottish actress Shirley Henderson is also nominated for her role in I Swear in the Actress/Film category.

The 60-year-old plays John Davidson’s mother Heather Davidson in the film.

John Davidson attending the Bafta Scotland Awards in Glasgow (Lesley Martin/PA)

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The biopic tells the story of the campaigner’s life growing up with Tourette syndrome in Scotland.

It leads with seven nominations, as well as a previously announced Audience Award nomination for Peter Mullan.

Henderson, who played Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films, said she was looking forward to reuniting with her I Swear cast members.

“(The nomination) is unexpected because it’s a tiny, tiny little part,” she said.

“But it’s nice. It’s lovely. It’s a nice thing to have. And it’s a beautiful film.”

She said the biopic has done an “amazing job” at making a difficult subject matter entertaining and accessible.

Henderson added: “We’re very proud of our film. It’s a happy night.”

John Davidson was among those on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony on Sunday.

He is expected to watch the ceremony from another room after a furore over a racial slur incident at an event earlier this year.

During the Bafta Film Awards ceremony in London in February, the Tourette’s campaigner could be heard shouting a racial slur as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award.

The campaigner asked to watch the ceremony from a different part of the venue via video link, Bafta Scotland said.

Mr Davidson previously said he was “deeply mortified” by the incident in February, which led to concerns after the BBC failed to censor the slur during the broadcast, which was on a two-hour time delay.

The winners of the Bafta Scotland awards will be announced on Sunday November 15 at a ceremony in Glasgow, hosted by Edith Bowman.