John Davidson, a Scottish campaigner who first drew public attention in a 1989 BBC documentary, has published a memoir, I Swear, and is the subject of a forthcoming biopic that revisit his decades-long struggle with Tourette syndrome and his work to change public perceptions of the condition.
Davidson, 54, recounts in both the book and film dramatic episodes from his life, including an incident at a royal investiture when he shouted an expletive at the late Queen and later at another recipient announced for "services to water-skiing." He received an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2019 for his campaigning on Tourette awareness; he told reporters that the Queen remained calm during his outburst. "She was just so cool and calm," he said. "She was very lovely and asked about the documentaries and congratulated me on doing so well."
The memoir covers his upbringing in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, the sudden onset of severe tics after operations in childhood, repeated school bullying and family strain. Medical treatment in adolescence included hospitalisation and medication with haloperidol before a neurologist identified his condition as "Tourette's plus," a form of the syndrome accompanied by multiple additional symptoms. Davidson describes coprolalia (involuntary swearing), echolalia (repeating others' words), obsessive-compulsive behaviours and attention-deficit hyperactivity traits.
Tourette Scotland estimates that about one in 100 people are born with a form of Tourette syndrome; coprolalia affects roughly 10% of sufferers, while echolalia and palilalia are more common. Up to 85% of people with Tourette's also experience related conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD or autism.
Davidson’s public profile began with the 1989 BBC QED programme "John's Not Mad," which depicted a young man seeking answers and acceptance for behaviour that his family and school struggled to understand. He said the broadcast was a watershed moment that gave him a platform to campaign and to locate others with similar experiences. His account in the memoir weaves darkly comic moments with deeply distressing experiences, from being isolated at school to punitive treatment by some teachers and repeated physical and verbal abuse from classmates.
He credits key figures in his life for support that helped him move from a marginalised young man to a community leader and advocate. One mentor who gave him his first proper job at a community centre tolerated and supported him despite an abrasive first encounter. A childhood friend and that friend's family offered a home and later described themselves as a surrogate family. Davidson has since worked as a youth worker and emerged as a national campaigner for Tourette awareness.
Davidson described the internal struggle he still faces when tics emerge. Many tics, he said, are triggered by anxiety, stress or fatigue, producing an "exhausting mental battle" to resist urges that sometimes lead to actions that alarm others — for example, shouting at bystanders or making sudden physical gestures. He recounted episodes that led to social exclusion, police checks at public venues and, on one occasion, a criminal charge from an involuntary punch, from which he was later acquitted.
He said the personal consequences have been profound: the condition has complicated intimate relationships and required adjustments such as avoiding front seats in cars after an episode in which he grabbed a steering wheel. He also described the continuing stigma that people with Tourette's can face, and the importance of better public understanding. "Understanding it is key," he wrote. "Because other people can't understand it if you don't understand it yourself, to be able to explain to people what it's really like."
Davidson’s life now contrasts sharply with his earlier years. He lives alone with his black lab, Suki, and said he uses that private space to decompress. He has reunited with family members and said he no longer holds teachers to blame for past mistreatment. He plans to attend the Glasgow premiere of the film I Swear, which is due for release next month.
Researchers and clinicians continue to explore treatments for tic reduction. Davidson has tested a prototype wristband developed by scientists at the University of Nottingham called Neupulse. The device delivers electrical impulses to the median nerve with the aim of suppressing the urge to tic; developers say it could be available next year. Davidson said the prototype produced a marked reduction in his tics and a level of calm he had not felt in years.
Advocates and organisations working on Tourette's say multiple approaches — behavioural therapies, medication and emerging technologies — may help different people in different ways. Davidson’s public work, his memoir and the biopic are likely to draw renewed attention to both the personal challenges of living with severe Tourette symptoms and the potential for new interventions.
Davidson's account stresses acceptance as a long-term goal. He described learning to explain his condition, to seek understanding from others and to rely on a network of friends and mentors who saw beyond his extreme behaviour. "I’ve done that for years and years, thinking if I stay away from people enough the Tourette's might go away," he wrote. "It doesn't, it's never going to go away, and it's about accepting your condition."
His memoir and the film portray that trajectory from a troubled, misunderstood youth to a recognised campaigner who received an MBE for his awareness work. Davidson said he intends to continue speaking publicly about Tourette's and to use his profile to push for better understanding and support for people living with the condition.