Jason Arday Was 'Half His Body Weight' Four Days Before His Death, Friend Says

Former Cambridge professor Jason Arday was described as being 'half his body weight' and 'desperate beyond belief' just four days before he was found dead in south London, according to a close friend who had met him during a gathering intended to offer support.

Lord Woolley, principal of Homerton College at the University of Cambridge, said Arday had been deeply affected by the intense media scrutiny surrounding allegations made against him before his resignation from the university.

On 14 August, emergency services found Arday, 41, unresponsive at an address in Battersea and pronounced him dead at the scene. The Metropolitan Police said his death was unexpected but not suspicious, while no formal cause of death has yet been confirmed.

Jason Arday's Final Days Before His Death

While speaking during a BBC Radio 4 Broadcasting House interview, Lord Woolley said he and several of Arday's friends had met him four days before his death, with Labour MP Diane Abbott and activist Misan Harriman among those present.

Woolley described Arday as having lost a substantial amount of weight and said the group had gathered because they were concerned about his wellbeing.

'On that day, we saw a man half his body weight and desperate beyond belief,' Woolley said.

The specific claim that Arday was literally half his previous body weight has not been independently verified in publicly available medical information. Other friends, however, have also described significant weight loss and severe emotional distress during the period.

Professor Kehinde Andrews, another friend, said that Arday was 'very upset,' felt there was 'no way out' and had largely stopped leaving his home.

Jason Arday Resigned Amid Academic Controversy

Arday resigned from his position as professor of sociology of education at Cambridge on 5 August, just nine days before his death.

The resignation followed reports questioning aspects of his academic work and personal history, including allegations of plagiarism. Arday denied the allegations.

Cambridge had announced an independent investigation into new information concerning his appointment and honorary positions. However, Liverpool John Moores University, where Arday completed his PhD in 2015, said it had found no plagiarism in his doctoral work.

Arday had joined Cambridge in 2023 and was described at the time as the university's youngest Black professor. His academic work focused on education, race and inequality.

Friends Call For Inquiry Into Media Coverage

The circumstances surrounding Arday's final days have prompted calls for an examination of the media coverage he faced.

A statement backed by more than 30,000 people, including Diane Abbott, Jameela Jamil and several politicians and public figures, called for an immediate public inquiry into responsible press reporting.

The statement, issued by the Good Law Project, claimed Arday had endured 'two weeks of relentless harassment.'

Woolley described the media attention as a 'vicious witch hunt' and said the coverage had become a 'bloodsport.' He also questioned whether racism had contributed to the level of scrutiny Arday faced, arguing that similar academic controversies had not always attracted comparable attention.

Police Confirm Arday's Death Was Not Suspicious

The Metropolitan Police said Arday was found unresponsive in Battersea on the afternoon of 14 August. Officers said the death was being treated as unexpected but not suspicious.

A file is being prepared for the coroner, and no official cause of death has been released.

Cambridge said Arday had received support for his physical and mental wellbeing, including counselling, during his time at the university and after his resignation.

Meanwhile, his family described themselves as 'in shock' and said he had faced a 'campaign of misinformation' and 'sustained abuse.'

The investigation into his death remains ongoing, while his friends and supporters continue to call for greater scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the intense public controversy before his death.