Jason Arday memoir published as inquest opens into his death
Jason Arday's memoir is published today as an inquest opens into his death, following plagiarism allegations.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The memoir of Jason Arday, the former Cambridge professor who died after a plagiarism row, is published in the UK today. The book, titled "Great and Unfortunate Things", goes on sale in line with his family's wishes, according to reports.
Arday, who was the youngest black professor at Cambridge, resigned in 2023 after questions about his academic qualifications and other claims. He was found unresponsive at his home in south London two weeks ago and pronounced dead at the scene. An inquest opened at Southwark Coroner's Court today, where the senior coroner, Dr Julian Morris, said it appeared Arday had died an unnatural death and that it was his duty to investigate.
The coroner confirmed that the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service attended the property on 14 August. He established Arday's identity and said the four statutory tests, including when and how he died, would now be examined. He also asked the press to be mindful of their reporting in relation to Arday's family and the wider public.
The controversy surrounding Arday began with a Substack article by Nathan Kofnas, who alleged parts of Arday's PhD were plagiarised. Kofnas was dismissed by Cambridge's Emmanuel College in 2024 over his views on race, and has now been suspended by Ghent University, where he works. Arday denied the majority of the allegations but said the questions were relentless and went beyond scholarly disagreement.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the case was "absolutely awful and tragic" and that Cambridge University, as an autonomous legal entity, would set out the terms of reference for its inquiry in the coming days. She said she would look closely at the findings of both the coroner and the Cambridge inquiry and would not hesitate to act on any recommendations. Asked whether racism played a role in the scrutiny Arday faced, Powell said it was "clear for all to see" in the intensity and depth of attention he received, comparing it to abuse faced by black footballers and colleagues like Diane Abbott. She stressed that people must be appointed on merit, but also that proactive measures were needed to address underrepresentation in public life.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | Channel 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Arday was found dead last Friday after denying most of the allegations against him. | |||
| An inquest into Arday's death opened at Southwark Coroner's Court. | · | · | |
| Arday stepped down from Cambridge in 2023 after facing relentless questions. | · | · | |
| Ghent University suspended Nathan Kofnas, the academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism. | · | · | |
| Jason Arday's memoir was published in the UK on the day of reporting. | · | · | |
| Nathan Kofnas was dismissed by Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 2024. | · | · | |
| The coroner said Arday's death appeared unnatural. | · | · | |
| The memoir's release was in accordance with the wishes of Jason Arday's family. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 4 focused on the political and institutional response, featuring an interview with Education Secretary Lucy Powell. It highlighted the government's stance on the Cambridge inquiry, the role of racism in the scrutiny, and the suspension of Nathan Kofnas by Ghent University. The tone was analytical, linking the case to broader debates about diversity and merit.
- “the Jason Arday case is just absolutely awful and tragic”
- “I think that is clear for all to see both the original kind of allegations and all the focus on the issues surrounding his appointment but also the intensity and the depth of the attention that he has received”
- “People need to be appointed on merit of course”
BBC ONE West concentrated on the inquest proceedings, providing a detailed report from outside Southwark Coroner's Court. It emphasised the coroner's finding of an unnatural death, the timeline of events, and the request for sensitive media reporting. The tone was factual and solemn, with a focus on the legal process.
- “It is worth just reminding ourselves of Professor Arday. He has been under the spotlight, people asking questions about his academic qualifications, what he did or didn't do for charity and his spare times marathons he may or may not have run”
- “the coroner explained that when he spoke to everybody there, the families and the media, he believed that Mr Arday had met an unnatural death”
- “asked the press to be mindful of your reporting”
5 News gave a brief, straightforward update, focusing on the publication of the memoir and the circumstances of Arday's death. It noted the family's wishes and the plagiarism row, but did not delve into the inquest or political reactions. The tone was neutral and concise.
- “The memoir of Jason Arday's life will be published in the UK today. Great and unfortunate things is going on sale in line with his family's wishes.”
- “The former Cambridge University professor at the centre of a plagiarism row was found unresponsive at his home two weeks ago.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.