Covid guru regrets celebrity scientist fame after losing anonymity 'for good'

22 July 2023 , 20:16

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England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty (Image: Getty Images)

Covid guru Chris Whitty finds fame about as welcome as a virus.

The scientist, 57, told how his life changed for ever after fronting TV briefings during the pandemic.

Sir Chris said: “Some people like being famous and some people don’t... I’m in the very far end of the don’t.

“Once you’ve lost your anonymity, you’ve lost it for good. You can’t any longer picnic with friends in the park or whatever it is without people coming up to express their appreciation or lack of appreciation forcefully.”

England’s chief medical officer said his deputy, Jonathan Van-Tam, known as JVT, had the opposite view of fame.

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Whitty at Covid briefing during height of the pandemic (PA)

“My good friend JVT claims not to enjoy it but he does,” Sir Chris said. “Which is why he went to Wimbledon and I didn’t. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

JVT, 59, was pictured in the Royal Box during the women’s final.

Speaking at the Francis Crick Institute in London, Sir Chris added: “If you want to become a celebrity scientist, be aware it comes with strings.

“If you’re David Attenborough, who is someone I massively admire, if you think I have difficulty walking down the street, imagine what he has at all points of the day or night.”

During Covid, the NHS physician was abused by strangers. In one incident, a yob got him in a headlock as a pal filmed it.

Patrick Hill