Prof Lockdown: I was singled out

HE is the scientist whose dire predictions led to the coronavirus lockdown – only for him to flout the rules himself by allowing his married lover to visit.

But Neil Ferguson, the expert nicknamed Professor Lockdown, said he was ‘singled out’ for criticism.

He also stuck to the controversial claim that half a million people would have died if the Government had taken no action to stop the spread of the virus.

Professor Ferguson was forced to quit as a key government adviser in May after he broke lockdown rules although he is still in the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling.

Speaking on Radio 4 programme The Life Scientific, he admitted this was a ‘stupid thing for me to do’.

But the modeller, from Imperial College London, said he was ‘targeted’ by some media which reported the story. He added: ‘I think I was almost viewed as a Government spokesman at times, which wasn’t my intention.’