Virologist who explained Covid faces redundancy

A virologist who helped explain Covid-19 to a worldwide audience of millions has accused the University of Cambridge of "amnesia" as it threatened to make his post redundant.

Dr Chris Smith heads up the university-based The Naked Scientists podcast, which helps the public understand and engage with science, technology and medicine - including during coronavirus.

He said the university wanted to "kill me off" to cut costs, despite helping to put the university "on the map" during the pandemic.

A university spokesman said: "The University of Cambridge is currently consulting with Dr Chris Smith about the future of his role within the university."

Dr Smith's job is split across the university - where he is a "public understanding of science fellow" - and at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. His university-funded clinical work as a consultant virologist is at risk by default.

The Naked Scientists, which he began in 2001, has racked up 150 million downloads and produces several hours of content each week, with Dr Smith and his team questioning scientists and doctors - often from the university - on a variety of subjects.

Dr Smith also appears as an expert on TV and radio, including BBC 5Live, BBC Radio 2 and the BBC's News Channel.

"I've been doing this for 25 years and they're going to kill it off, and kill me off, when I've been devoting my life to this," he added.

During the pandemic he gave more than 2,000 interviews to help audiences understand what was happening and why, and said he still received messages from people who found him "reassuring and helpful".

"I think the university has amnesia; I worked for 15 hours a day, stuff going out to millions of people, on BBC Breakfast every Saturday, and I never got so much as an email from the university to say thanks.

"All the kudos would have otherwise gone to Oxford, Imperial College and University College London - it put Cambridge on the map and they were enormous beneficiaries of that.

"I know the strong impact of what I do, but they don't measure it - they will be assessing me based on research papers in journals and the reaction to that," he added, describing himself as "invisible".

He said he had called for meetings with the university and not had a response, adding: "They are willing to cut two jobs in one fell swoop and not come to the table; it's not acceptable."

Since making the news public he has received hundreds of messages and emails in support, with many also urging the university to rethink.

"People are saying really strong stuff; they all think it's a terrible idea," he said.

In a statement sent to the BBC, the university said The Naked Scientists podcast was a separate entity that it "neither owned, controlled nor had any direct influence over".

Dr Smith argued Cambridge was "fully behind the project and its output" and had hired his radio producer, whose job was also at risk.

A Cambridge University Hospitals spokesperson, on behalf of Addenbrooke's, said: "As his employer, the University of Cambridge is currently consulting with Dr Chris Smith, and we await the outcome of those discussions."

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