FORMER deputy chief medical officer Sir Jonathan Van Tam is set to speak at Bournemouth University in April about health communication and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sir Jonathan became a household name through his seconded role during the pandemic, appearing in public and press briefings from Downing Street.

He became known for his clear and down-to-earth communication on difficult subjects, from the strains of the virus, to the vaccine rollout. He was recognised with a knighthood in 2022.

The event will be hosted by BU’s Centre for Science, Health and Data Communication Research, on Wednesday, April 12 from 10am in Kimmeridge House on the Talbot Campus.

Professor An Nguyen, who leads the centre, said: “Effective communication of complex science and health matters was the key to getting society on-board during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in the midst of so much uncertainty, competing perspectives, and the misinformation chaos of those days.

“Sir Jonathan Van-Tam emerged as an unlikely star in that context, gathering a huge fanbase, not only with his scientific integrity but also his colourful, metaphoric science communication style that speaks directly to people. We are extremely delighted to be able to open this event to the research community, health professionals, science communicators, the media and the general public.”

The event is free to members of the public, in person or online, who can book through Eventbrite.