David Spiegelhalter

Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge

Author

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE is Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge, and a Non-Executive Director of the UK Statistics Authority. He is a regular media commentator on statistical issues, and was very busy over the Covid crisis. His bestselling book, The Art of Statistics, was published in 2019, and The Art of Uncertainty in 2024. His career highlights include appearing on Desert Island Discs in 2022, and in 2011 coming 7th in an episode of BBC1’s Winter Wipeout.

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Here is some of the feedback from audiences and clients who have worked with David.

"For The Art of Statistics David Spiegelhalter is probably the greatest living statistical communicator; more than that, he's one of the great communicators in any field. This marvelous book will transform your relationship with the numbers that swirl all around us. Read it and learn. I did."

Tim Harford,

Presenter,

BBC Radio 4's More or Less

"Review for his book 'The Norm Chronicles': Witty and illuminating, The Norm Chronicles is essential reading for anyone wanting to know whether they should try skydiving, or accept that third glass of wine."

Financial Times

"Review for his book 'The Norm Chronicles': Helping people make sense of the barrage of confusing (and often misrepresented) statistics that riddle every day is a noble goal. Making the process enjoyable is a real achievement."

The Economist

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David Spiegelhalter's 2025 biography

About David Spiegelhalter

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE is Emeritus Professor of Statistics in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge. He was previously Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, which aimed to improve the way that statistical evidence is used by health professionals, patients, lawyers and judges, media and policy-makers.

He retired from being Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk in 2019, but still advises organisations and government agencies on risk communication, and is a regular media commentator on statistical issues, with a particular focus on communicating uncertainty. He was very busy over the Covid crisis.

His background is in medical statistics, and he has over 200 refereed publications and is co-author of 6 textbooks, as well as The Norm Chronicles (with Michael Blastland), and Sex by Numbers. He presented the BBC4 documentaries “Tails you Win: the Science of Chance”, the award-winning “Climate Change by Numbers”. His bestselling book, The Art of Statistics, was published in March 2019, and Covid by Numbers came out in September 2021. His career highlights include appearing on Desert Island Discs in 2022, and in 2011 coming 7th in an episode of BBC1’s Winter Wipeout.

He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2005, awarded an OBE in 2006, and knighted in 2014 for services to medical statistics. He is a Fellow of Churchill College Cambridge, and was President of the Royal Statistical Society for 2017-2018. He became a Non-Executive Director of the UK Statistics Authority in 2020.