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Cambridge Professor Reveals Tourette’s at BAFTA Awards

8/11/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Dr Amanda Cole, a 32-year-old Cambridge sociolinguistics professor living on the Debden Estate near Loughton, Essex, is a married mother of one.
She hid her Tourette’s syndrome throughout her career after noticing a vocal tic at 15 and being diagnosed in her 20s.
She publicly disclosed the condition at this year’s Bafta Film Awards after a guest’s offensive outburst and let the BBC join her while informing colleagues and students.

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Story summary

Dr Amanda Cole, a 32-year-old Cambridge sociolinguistics professor living on the Debden Estate near Loughton, Essex, is a married mother of one.
She hid her Tourette’s syndrome throughout her career after noticing a vocal tic at 15 and being diagnosed in her 20s.
She publicly disclosed the condition at this year’s Bafta Film Awards after a guest’s offensive outburst and let the BBC join her while informing colleagues and students.