Cambridge professor's non-verbal childhood claim disputed by former classmates

Jason Arday, the youngest black professor in Cambridge University's history, faces conflicting accounts from former schoolmates over his claim that he was non-verbal until age 11, with some recalling him as a chatty class clown while others support his story. Two former Heathbrook primary school pupils, Jonathan Stewart and Magnus Okuonghae, describe Arday as a talkative child who cracked jokes, mimicked accents, and sang songs. However, two other school friends, Nick Clark and Mike Freeman, provided statements confirming Arday did not speak during primary school, with Clark's mother also corroborating this account. Arday resigned from Cambridge last week amid plagiarism accusations and questions about other claims, including marathon running and charity fundraising. His memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things," was published in the US on Tuesday despite the controversy, with UK publication scheduled for August 27.