Indy Poster Wummin🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙 @terryhowson

In response to the claims that press coverage of Jason Arday was somehow unique and disproportionate to him and other BAME academics, here's a few notable examples of people who took their own lives as a result of sustained coverage by the UK media. Dr David Kelly (2003) The government weapons expert died by suicide after being publicly identified as the source of a BBC report concerning the government's Iraq weapons dossier. Kelly became caught in an intense confrontation between the BBC and the government, resulting in extraordinary political and media scrutiny of someone who had previously been a largely anonymous civil servant. Jacintha Saldanha (2012) The nurse who answered a prank telephone call from Australian radio presenters impersonating members of the Royal Family died by suicide several days later. The prank became an international media story after confidential information about the Princess of Wales's hospital treatment was obtained. Her death prompted widespread criticism of broadcast prank culture and media ethics. Lucy Meadows (2013) A transgender primary-school teacher died by suicide following intense press attention surrounding her transition. Sections of the British press published highly intrusive and hostile coverage about their private life. Following the death, the coroner strongly criticised the behaviour of journalists and the press attention she had endured. Brenda Leyland (2014) Leyland was publicly confronted by a Sky News reporter over abusive tweets concerning the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. She died by suicide several days later. A previously private individual suddenly became the subject of national television and newspaper coverage. The case raised serious questions about televised confrontation, public shaming and the power imbalance between major news organisations and ordinary individuals. Sophie Gradon (2018) The former Love Island contestant died by suicide. Her death contributed to concerns about the psychological effects of reality television, sudden fame, online abuse and the level of support provided to contestants after leaving programmes. Mike Thalassitis (2019) The former Love Island contestant died by suicide. His death, following Sophie Gradon's, intensified scrutiny of ITV's duty of care towards reality-TV participants and resulted in changes to contestant welfare and aftercare procedures. Steve Dymond (2019) Dymond died by suicide shortly after recording an appearance on The Jeremy Kyle Show, during which he failed a lie-detector test relating to allegations that he had been unfaithful. His death led ITV to suspend and then permanently cancel The Jeremy Kyle Show. It prompted major scrutiny of confrontational reality television, participant humiliation, psychological screening and aftercare. Caroline Flack (2020) The television presenter died by suicide while awaiting trial following an allegation that she had assaulted her boyfriend. Flack had been subjected to extensive tabloid and social-media coverage. Her death generated a major debate about press intrusion, online abuse and the consequences of intense public scrutiny, although her death cannot be attributed solely to media coverage.